South Taranaki iwi Nga Rauru feels let down by the Department of Conservation's decision not to submit on a seabed mining application and is withdrawing from interacting with it.
"We do not consider it appropriate for the department to be absent from discussion around a new activity of this scale," tumu whakarae Pahunga Marty Davis said.
Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) is asking the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for marine consents to mine ironsand 22km to 36km offshore from Patea.
The department (DoC) decided not to submit on the application, saying it had reviewed the application and its amendments were accepted by the company. No further conservation gains would be made by submitting, its spokesman said.
Mr Davis said DoC had a broad commitment to work with iwi and a specific statutory obligation to work with his tribe under its Treaty settlement legislation.