Ihaia Puketapu

I have set many goals over the last 24 years since our customary fisheries committee applied to the then Ministry of Fisheries to have our customary fisheries zone (rohe moana) gazetted.    Over that period of time there are a number of achievements that I am proud to have been a part of that have helped progress the Trust. 

• Part of the negotiation team in 2006 that finalised our eastern boundary with Ngati Kahungunu at Turakirae Head and Ngati Hinewaka at Mukamukaiti, Palliser Bay
• Part of the team in 2019 that won the arbitration which settled our west coast boundary with Ngāti Toa, that recognises our exclusive area of the entire Wellington south coast and Majority of the Wellington west coast
• Held a Fishery Officer warrant – part of 7 man iwi group apprehending Paua poaching gangs;
• Part of team that conducted Eel stock assessments of Makara, Wainuiomata, Awakairangi, Te Kohanga (Gollans Valley) catchments, which have been decimated by commercial Eelers;
• Part of negotiation team that successfully placed a ban on commercial Eeling in the entire catchment of the Pencarrow Lakes Kohanga Te Ra and Kohanga Piripiri in order to protect the now endangered longfin Eel
• Part of the Project team working on the Trust’s Takutai Moana (MACA) Claim.

Since the 2019 arbitration award settled and confirmed our in-shore commercial quota and exclusive rights to the Wellington south and west coasts, we are soon to have an audience with Minister Shane Jones to finalise the gazetting of our customary zone. 

This will lead to the establishment of our exclusive Mataitai reserves. 

Our Trust Board team hope to achieve this final goal that will ensure our exclusive mana and legal rights to our coastal takiwā.   Ihaia is a Trustee representative for Waiwhetū Marae and is also the Trustee representative on the Takutai Moana (MACA) Project team.