'Iwi tax' fears for Waikato River

Commercial users of the Waikato River should prepare themselves for an "iwi tax" after Ngai Tahu imposed a conservation levy on eel fishermen at Lake Ellesmere in the South Island.

That's the warning from fisherman Clem Smith after the Ngai Tahu tribe used Treaty claims settlement legislation to impose a precedent-setting fishing tax on users of the lake, just south of Christchurch.

Mark Solomon, the chair of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, confirmed a special permit was now required by commercial users of Lake Ellesmere.

The new permit system would not affect recreational users or activities, however it would be imposed on fishermen and any other commercial users of the lake.

Mr Smith described the levy as the forerunner to a new nationwide iwi tax system after his group of eel fishermen were asked to contribute $29,000, or 8 per cent of the total annual eel fishery earnings of $360,000, to Ngai Tahu for Lake Ellesmere environmental restoration purposes. The iwi also receives revenue from leasing out its quota.

Waikato-Tainui co-negotiator and Waikato Raupatu Trustee executive chairman Tukoroirangi Morgan was on holiday in the Cook Islands this morning and could not be contacted for comment. But under the deed of settlement of Waikato-Tainui's treaty claim on the Waikato River, the tribe has the ability to make regulations under fisheries and conservation legislation.

However, Waipa Delta riverboat owner Mark Goudie doubted Tainui would seek to introduce river levies or charges, after his discussions with the tribe last year. "All the indications from Tainui are that it is business as usual," he said. "I certainly never got impression they would end up charging."

But Mr Smith warned mooring buoys and structures such as jetties and bridges on rivers and lakes could also be fair game for an "iwi tax".

A similar deal has been operating at Lake Taupo since 1926. Central North Island tribe Tuwharetoa struck a deal with the then-Crown for 50 per cent of fishing fees in return for continued public access to Lake Taupo.

Mr Smith has fished Lake Ellesmere for 33 years. He said small fishermen like himself, who had been threatened with a lakebed trespass notice at the end of January, would have no option but to sign up to the deal if they wanted to remain in the fishing business. "This situation has turned very nasty."

He said South Island eel fishermen were poised to pay the conservation levy money to Maori under extreme duress. "I think people negotiating Treaty settlements have to be very careful to get things right. At the time of the Ngai Tahu settlement both Ngai Tahu and the Government said other people would not be affected.

"If that is what was meant it was not put into the legislation."

Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley washed his hands of the new Ngai Tahu levy and the manner in which it had been imposed. "This is purely a matter between Ngai Tahu and the commercial users of the lake," he said.

The Conservation Department's Bryan Jensen said he had publicly supported Ngai Tahu's right to impose the permit system on the eel fishermen when he attended a December meeting.

In a briefing paper to the Lake Ellesmere fishermen Seafood Industry Council, policy manager Nici Gibbs described the overall Treaty situation affecting fishermen as "very scary". She said the Crown, in dealing with foreshore and seabed type issues, had failed to protect existing fishing industry rights and interests when settling Maori grievances.

Doc supported the introduction of a permit system and appreciated money raised would go directly to lake projects.

Mr Solomon said the welfare of Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) had been of concern to most users for a number of years. "As owners of the lakebed we have to take an active role in managing Te Waihora," he said.

- With Dominion Post

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