A Maori fisheries trust has no plans to pull its support of
whaling for indigenous people, and supported scientific
research by the Japanese to determine whale numbers.
Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Peter Douglas told the
Otago Daily Times the trust, which allocates fishery
assets to 50 iwi across the country, had always supported the
traditional right of indigenous people to hunt whales, and
that support was unlikely to change.
"It is important we make our minds up and be well informed,"
he said.
The issue of whether to continue supporting the right of
indigenous people would be discussed by the various iwi trust
members again this year, he said.
Te Ohu Kaimoana representatives, including Mr Douglas and
present chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana, attended the 61st meeting
of the International Whaling Commission in Portugal last
year.
While the Government was opposed to whaling, Te Ohu Kaimoana
never went out to "embarrass the New Zealand Government" with
its support of indigenous whaling, and maintained good
dialogue with its delegates.
Mr Douglas said whaling was an emotive topic for many
countries, but many of those in opposition had been involved
with the industry in the past, and now wanted to limit those
who traditionally hunted the mammals.
The Japanese were not hunting whales illegally in the
Southern Ocean and "were following all the rules".
"They are doing what they have to do."
Mr Douglas said if Japanese research showed the number of
whales could support a sustainable fishery, "then that is
what we should be discussing".
"If they can't, then that is wrong."
In regard to Te Ohu Kaimoana, the trust was not "interested
in whaling", but would be interested in taking meat from
stranded beached whales unable to be saved.
The number of beached whales in New Zealand was similar in
numbers to what Japan was permitted to take each year, he
said.
"We are not, at the moment, interested in whaling."
A Maori Party spokesman said the party had no policy on
whaling.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
Whales and New Zealand
- All whales within New Zealand's 200-nautical-mile exclusive
economic zone are protected under the Marine Mammals
Protection Act 1978.
- The New Zealand Commissioner to the International Whaling
Commission is Geoffrey Palmer, a former prime minister, who
took up the appointment in 2003.
- New Zealand is a supporter of the IWC's moratorium on
commercial whaling which became effective in 1986.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.