On shore support for the protesters blocking the Tauranga Harbour shipping lane. Photo/Zoe Hunter
The Tauranga Harbour protest is over.
More than 20 boats blocked the shipping lane at the entrance of Tauranga Harbour in protest against accepting any Crown deal giving rights to Tauranga Moana to a Hauraki collective of iwi and hapu.
All the boats had now returned to shore.
It was the second protest this week after members of Tauranga-based iwi Ngai Te Rangi manned a flotilla of small boats blocking the shipping lane of the Port of Tauranga on Thursday.
Ngai Te Rangi chairman Charlie Tawhiao alleges a secret deal had been struck between Hauraki tribes and the Crown that could hand over areas traditionally controlled by Tauranga iwi to outside interests.
A waka, four canoes and about 20 other boats have taken up their position in the harbour entrance.
At noon, at least 200 supporters performed a "flash haka" on the side of Mauao (Mount Maunganui) in support of the protesters on the water.
Ngai Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley said he had a conservation with a representative from the port who said they were not going to send any more ships through.
"We advised the port at 7pm last night to say this blockade was going to happen. So they have the choice whether or not to authorise boats to come through.
"The complaint last night was they did not have enough notice, now they have notice."
He said the plan was to stop them coming in and out of the port and boats would be positioned at A buoy and at the cardinal markers.
"They are safe positions to be in."
He said once boats had moved past the A buoy, it was very difficult for them to manoeuvre.
He said all protesters had to have a seaworthy boat, have some sort of communications on board and be registered.