Hapu¯ do not support fishing protest
Tangata whenua say protest leader has no mana to speak for them
Protesters opposing a Doubtless Bay fishing competition have blocked an access road to a boat ramp after talks with local hapu which expressed support for the Northland event fell through.
Around 50 people have gathered at the Taipa boat ramp which has been blocked off using a van and road cones. Five police officers are on site.
The blockade is being led by Ngati Kahu representative Wikatana Popata who told 1News their actions were being carried out peacefully.
A representative for tangata whenua hapu¯ Matakairiri told the Advocate they had spoken to Popata yesterday but could not reach an understanding after he did not listen to reason.
Earlier this week, Popata said all boat ramps and beach access points in the area would be blocked off by iwi to stop the contest from happening in their “tribal territory” after he felt iwi had been disrespected by a lack of consultation.
Popata yesterday confirmed that the Rangiputa boat ramp, Perehipe boat ramp, and Taipa and Mangonui access would be blocked from 10am yesterday until 12pm tomorrow.
Doubtless Bay Fishing Classic organiser Nick Ryan said that they were yet to hear from the protesters but were told their plans were going ahead. He confirmed police would be there if they needed to defuse the situation. Far North Area Commander and Inspector Riki Whiu said the police were aware of the planned event and their Far North staff would be monitoring for any issues.
Matakairiri said in a statement that the “demands to disrupt” the longstanding contest were not supported by them. Taipa¯ Marae chairman David Poharama strongly disagreed with the actions of Popata and his friends involved, after they failed to consult the local hapu¯ as part of the customary tikanga process.
He said they had no authority to come into their rohe and exert their own political agenda in Taipa¯ without consulting hapu¯. Poharama said none of the individuals would have any authority to speak on behalf of Matakairiri “on all matters today or in the distant future”.
Hapu¯ environmental manager and kaitiaki Trudy Allen agreed. She said that such individuals should instead turn their focus to the “bigger” commercial fisheries when it came to overfishing.
“Some commercial fisheries are the ones responsible for depleting our supplies and not our local game fishing competitions, where the funds collected go to the community and services like St Johns and the fire brigade.”
Fisheries New Zealand management director Emma Taylor said in general, fish stocks in the Northland region were considered to be in good shape.
Allen said the fishing contest was a great way for wha¯nau to come together and have a good time.
Te Runanga-a-Iwi o Ngati Kahu chairwoman Margaret Mutu also recalled knowing cousins and other wha¯nau members who actively participated in the contest almost every year.
“I understand that his main worries are in relation to the environment and overfishing. But for that, he needs to sit down and have a talk about it before doing something like this.
“All the four hapu¯ I have spoken to have responded by saying, ‘What on earth are you doing speaking for us without consulting’ which is what I expected.”
Mutu hoped that Popata would back off soon.