By KEVIN TAYLOR
Tainui is facing more trouble as the Ministry of Fisheries decides whether to prosecute the iwi's deep-sea fishing company.
The latest crisis for the financially troubled tribe could cost $400,000 to $500,000 in fines if Raukura Moana Fisheries, 82 per cent owned by Tainui, is successfully prosecuted.
Kingi Porima, chairman of the tribal executive Te Kaumaarua, said he understood the allegation was that catches were incorrectly recorded.
Catches were recorded as being only the high-value hoki species, when in fact "rubbish fish" were being used to make up catch weights.
"We are aloof from the investigation because we were not involved at all in it.
"We will let the investigation take its course."
The ministry began its probe, which related to the two previous fishing seasons, in mid-2000.
A ministry spokesman, Alan Meek, said yesterday that the probe involved hoki fishing by Raukura using leased quota, but he would not give details.
Investigating officers were finishing a report before deciding whether to prosecute. Mr Meek did not know when the report would be ready.
A Tainui source said the iwi was bracing itself for fines between $400,000 and $500,000 if the company were prosecuted and convicted.
Mr Porima did not know the tonnage of hoki involved.
Mr Meek said fines for breaches of commercial fishing regulations could be large.
"Certainly for people convicted of commercial fishing offences, the fines are considerable. In some offences the fines could be up to $250,000."
Mr Porima said he was deeply concerned at the possible magnitude of any fines, and frustrated that new problems kept cropping up for Tainui's administration.
It is already facing court action from a faction of Te Kaumaarua led by principal negotiator Sir Robert Mahuta as he attempts to take back control of Tainui's corporates.
The Herald revealed on Wednesday that two Te Kaumaarua directors in his faction, Maria Henry and Hare Puke, signed a deal last month without the executive's authority to sell Hamilton's Army hall for $1.25 million plus GST to Auckland property development firm Taradale Developments.
However, the New Zealand Defence Force, which offered the land to Tainui last month, had not yet sold it to the tribe.
Tainui's 1999 annual report said the company managed more than 23,000 tonnes of quota on behalf of Maori and non-Maori interests in the 1998-1999 financial year.
More trouble for Tainui over deep-sea catches
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