Transcript
The prime minister of the Cook Islands, Henry Puna, says plans to give the European Union access to the country's fishing grounds is about managing the resource sustainably.
Mr Puna's government has been embroiled in controversy over the US$6.5 million dollar deal which would grant access to four EU purse seiners to catch up to 7,000 tonnes of tuna a year in the Cooks' Exclusive Economic Zone.
Mr Puna is in New Zealand in his role at fisheries minister to look at this country's use of a quota management system in its fisheries.
He spoke with Don Wiseman who asked if the deal has been completed yet.
HENRY PUNA: The European Access agreement has not been officially signed, no. What has happened is for the purpose of negotiations Ben Ponia, the head of our Ministry of Marine Resources, has engaged in discussions with the European Union and a draft agreement has been initialled in accordance with the European process but both sides acknowledge that that cannot be binding until and unless its been officially signed by the parties.
DON WISEMAN: The Opposition of course is saying that that process that Mr Ponia went through is illegal.
HP: Well, I explained it on our radio last Friday that what Mr Ponia has done is initial a draft agreement for negotiation and discussion purposes and that's all. The agreement does not become binding until or unless it is officially signed off by the parties and in our case the Minister of Marine Resources, namely myself, will have to sign the agreement. That has not been signed yet.
DW: I guess one of the critical thing for your region is that you have declared this very large marine reserve, is that in any way threatened by this process?
HP: No, no. This is really why we are here in New Zealand. To have a look at the system and to see how we can sort of marry that with our own objective of protecting and managing our resources sustainably. That is the key. I have never shied away from the fact that we will harvest the resources that God has blessed us with in our EEZ but we need to do that in an environmentally friendly manner and of course in a totally sustainable manner. That is the key.
