EELS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW DECADE

Eels getting prepared for smoking by dad. Yum

NGAI TAHU SLIPPERY WITH THE TRUTH?

The Press has an update on the eel fishing levy being imposed by Ngai Tahu here

We agree with Rik Tau - we think that the eel fishers have a valid reason to be concerned. And what has complicated it is the fawning support of DOC for the actions of the iwi as reported here.
If there is one person who has the institutional memory of what took place and what was agreed it is Rik. This also indicates that there are disagreements on a number of fronts within Te Runanga O Ngai Tahu.

A former Ngai Tahu Treaty negotiator has attacked the tribe's plan to charge commercial fishermen to use Lake Ellesmere.

Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu (Tront) wants five local eelers to pay for their use of the lake bed.

It was returned to the tribe in its 1998 Treaty of Waitangi settlement.

The money would go towards a lake restoration fund to which Ngai Tahu would also contribute.

Rik Tau, who was one of the tribe's primary Treaty negotiators, said the idea of making the fishermen pay went against the spirit of the settlement.

"It disturbs us that this is now the behaviour of our people because the settlement act didn't take away their (eelers') rights; in fact, it protected them," he said.

At the time of the negotiations the fishermen, Ngai Tahu and the Fishing Industry Board met several times to agree on an eel management plan for Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere).

Everyone entered negotiations in good faith and the fishermen agreed to limits, such as not taking eels over 4 kilograms or fishing in the rivers flowing into the lake, said Tau.

"No discussions ever took place on paying anyone for the right to fish for commercial eels in Te Waihora to Ngai Tahu," he said.

"The high-handed actions now of the Te Waihora Management Board could see a retaliation from the commercial fishers to have those previous agreements declared ultra vires and invalid.

"That would be sad because we sat down in a spirit of goodwill, honour, credibility and integrity to come to a conclusion to those values of sustainability."

TREATY SETTLEMENT TENSIONS

This issue on Stuff this morning has the capacity to ignite racial tensions.

We think that this precedent will unnerve the nation as it sets about debating the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.

Ngai Tahu own the Lake Ellesmere lake bed as part of the Ngai Tahu settlement.
They are taxing the eel fishers 8% of the value of the catch which is $360,000 for conservation of the lake. The fishers are also paying to lease eel quota from Ngai Tahu. We think it is a recipe for disaster.

We have some sympathy for Ngai Tahu as the owners they now have responsibilities to maintain their " asset." While we agree that the ownership of the lake bed formed part of the settlement, we just dont think that a regime like this was ever envisaged.

If Ngai Tahu manages the ecological values of the lake bed what is DOC's responsibility re the water and surrounding environs and is Ngai Tahu going to tax farmers for the cost of the damage that run off has caused to the lake and the lake bed??

However Eel fishermen like all fishermen need to recognise that the right to fish comes with responsibilities and that they should be contributing to the ecological upkeep of the lake.

But what are they getting for their $29,000?

Are farmers next?


However it should be noted that Lake Taupo's Tuwharetoa, derives income from Trout fishing permits in Lake Taupo. They own the lake bed and get 50% of the licence fees.

What is interesting here is they are getting money for the recreational harvest of a non native species Trout.

Ngai Tahu is extracting 8% from fishermen who are already paying to lease quota of a native species of which DOC has a responsibility to manage as well.

And we know our wise friend at SEAFIC doesn't scare easy. Nici Gibbs says that fishing rights and interests were not protected when the deal was done.

In a briefing paper to the Lake Ellesmere fishermen, Seafood Industry Council policy manager Nici Gibbs described the situation as "very scary".

She said the Crown, in dealing with foreshore and seabed-type issues, had failed to protect fishing industry rights and interests when settling Maori grievances.

We agree. One of the key principles of Treaty settlements has been that they be established without impacting on commercial interests or creating further grievances.

It appears that this has not happened.

UPDATE : the Christchurch Press has more background here


UPDATE 2 Lambcut seems to think we know feck all about things agrarian. Thats true. So here's what she says:

LAMBCUT said...

LAMBS WITH GUNS; RUN PRAWN RUN

Lambcut thinks BB could be in danger of divisive scaremongering herself by stating farmers have caused run off damage to the Ellesmere Lake and lake bed. Lambcut is not aware of any intensive farming systems operating in the Banks Peninsula area that could cause significant run off problems. The land there is extensively farmed by topographical and climatic necessity; it cannot lend itself to intensive systems. Furthermore, due to the high conservation value placed on the area, there are generous riparian margins around the waterways there. Even in other regions where intensive systems are employed, such generous margins greatly reduce the possibility of significant run off damage occurring.

Holiday round up

Magpies feed their half grown chicks on the ground - we put out some stale bread and early in the morning the magpies gather around and the adults feed the young birds.
Orange sponge earplugs can be used to catch salmon in the South Island canals.
Hedgehogs and tractor mowers don't mix.
Mum makes the best Xmas Truffles.
Model airplanes look odd parked up in the canopy of 25 year old trees and chopping down the trees to save the planes is not an option.
One of the sheep on our place is blind but fat.
Flys are a pain - but the new Mortein powerball fly spray really does knock the bastards dead.
Zucchini are the new triffids.
Apple wood chips are very good for smoking eel.
My lettuces are spectacular but the Aussie Rock reckons I should have planted more rocket.
Our boned out stuffed Xmas turkey that said it could feed 16 people actually provided 36 servings and we are all big eaters.
I found a dead slabby trout in the creek that Dad reckons would have gone 7lbs if it had been in good condition.
We saw a satellite last night.
Radio Live's TV3's news feed is superb.
Stephen Kings Just After Sunset, a short story collection is one of his best.

Far away from Tinsel town

While far away political scandals boil in capital - Im hangin out in the " Rapa".


Time to go fishing..... have a good afternoon all - and remember if you cant vote right dont vote at all.