Fishing crew wages plan upsets Maori

The Maori Party says a proposal to increase the wages of crew on foreign fishing vessels will hurt Maori fishing businesses.

The Cabinet has made no decision but it has been reported recently that there is a plan to raise rates for foreign crews to $12.75 an hour from $10.25 an hour over a three-year period.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said raising pay rates on foreign vessels would threaten the viability of the Maori fishing industry.

She said the party supported the call from Raukura Moana Fisheries, Ngati Kahungunu and Aotearoa Fisheries for the Government to urgently reconsider its proposals.

Aotearoa Fisheries was paying wages to foreign crews higher than comparable wages in their country of origin.

"The wages are negotiated and set according to current New Zealand legislative criteria.

"Maori who entered the deepwater fisheries quota later than other New Zealand fishing companies have 80 per cent of their quota caught by foreign charter vessels and yet are still building up their business infrastructure," said Mrs Turia.

"This wage cost increase seriously threatens that."

- NZPA