- Hon Shane Jones
A major aquaculture settlement between the Crown and Te Moana-a-Toi iwi that will deliver significant growth and opportunity to the Bay of Plenty is being celebrated today.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones attended a ceremony in Tauranga for the agreement, signed in February under the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004.
“This important milestone delivers on the Crown’s settlement obligations, supports aquaculture development in the region, and ensures iwi take a leading role in the resulting workforce development and economic growth,” Mr Jones says.
“The Bay of Plenty has the potential to grow its position as an important contributor to the success of our aquaculture sector.”
The Crown and 12 Te Moana-a-Toi iwi aquaculture organisations agreed to a package of assets representing 5000ha of new aquaculture space.
The Bay of Plenty is home to New Zealand’s open ocean mussel farming, which has been identified as having the potential to reach an annual revenue of $200m by 2035.
“Achieving this will have major benefits for the Bay of Plenty, generating export dollars and stable jobs that strengthen local communities. I understand iwi in the region are planning to work collectively to develop the new aquaculture space, which will provide significant economic benefits to the region as a whole.
“I thank and acknowledge Te Moana-a-Toi iwi for their leadership throughout the settlement process. We are celebrating, not just the agreement we have reached, but also the prosperity and opportunity that aquaculture growth will provide to the Bay of Plenty.”
The Aquaculture Development Plan, launched by Mr Jones last year, provides a path to the Government’s goal of increasing New Zealand’s aquaculture revenue to $3 billion per year by 2035.
