Sealord trawler. (Photo Credit: Sealord)
Sealord and Iwi have settled collaboration agreements through which New Zealand's second-largest fishing company will share the profits obtained from catching, processing and selling fish with the latter.
The Nelson-based company has announced that under these five-year arrangements, each Iwi’s deepwater annual catch entitlements (ACE) up to 4,800 tonne quotas of hoki, orange roughy, southern blue whiting and alfonsino will be caught on Sealord's factory vessels.
“This is an opportunity to try something new and see increased rewards from our fisheries assets. The agreement extends and supports our relationship with a key business and employer in our rohe that we have an ownership share in through Aotearoa Fisheries,” pointed out Pat Park from one of the fishery collectives.
Furthermore, apart from offering an increase in Iwi’s financial returns usually received for their ACE, the arrangements provide Iwi members fishing scholarships and employment opportunities.
“We are focused on optimising our returns for the long term. We also recognise that the agreement has other benefits for our people and their involvement in the industry,” remarks fishery collective Te Kupenga spokesperson Tony Magner.
For Sealord the opportunity to work more directly with Iwi was based on a programme called Ihu to Mai.
"Sealord has been developing relationships with Iwi through Ihu to Mai which we believe benefits all parties," stated fishing general manager Doug Paulin.
And he added, "Ihu to Mai increases the long-term access to quota for Sealord and provides a more direct influence in the way fishing assets are utilised for iwi."
Last month, Sealord announced plans to downsize its Nelson wetfish factory because it wasn't economically viable.
“We continue to invest in processing in Nelson, and we are optimistic about the growth of our fresh fish business. However, we do have to continue to improve and adapt to manage the ongoing challenges of rising costs, globally flat white fish pricing and a high exchange rate,” expressed the firm in its report.
Sealord is jointly owned by Maori tribal interests through Aotearoa Fisheries and Japan’sNippon Suisan Kaisha.