Evidence HT Elkington - Environmental Protection Authority

Before the Environmental Protection Authority
Underthe Resource ManagementAct 1991
ln the itatter ' An application by King Salmon Limited for resource
consents to operate Marine farms.
Between Ngtti Koata Trust Board
Objector
And The NewZealand King Salmon Company Limited
Applicant
Brief of Evidence of Hori Turi Elkington on behalf of Ngati Koata
FRANK HIPPOLITE
LAWYER
PO Box 1659
NELSON
Telephone: (04) 237 41 10
Facsimile: (03) 548 2569
Email: taimona36@xtta.c,o.nz
Solicitor: Frank HiPPolite

Introduction
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My full name is Hori Turi Elkington. I whakapapa to all of the waka of
the great migration. I am a recognised maritime specialist within the
rohe moana of both NgatiToa and Ngati Koata.
My middle name Turi is integral with our whakapapa. lt is the name of
my father, a recognised master Mariner of Ngati Toa and Ngati Koata
descent. lt is the name of my grand Uncle Turi Ruruku. My son,
nephews and grandnephews continue the name. lts origin is from
Turi the navigator of the legendary Aotea canoe of the great
migration. Turi's son Turimataakino, grandson Turimataoneone and
great grandson Turimatarehua continued his name and mana.
Likewise the name. and the mana of "Turi the Navigato/' are
hereditary and continue to flow within the precious veins of our
people.
For generations, perhaps even from the beginning of time my people
have been tohonga moana, o te moana roa, te moana nui. ln other
words "the experts of the ocean, the wide ocean, the large ocean".
Likewise for many generations my people have been the experts for
gathering kaimoana for whanau, for hapu and for iwi tangi and Hui.
I am Kaitiaki o nga Kaimoana for both Ngati Toa and Ngati Koata. As
such, I am authorised to issue customary kaimoana gathering permits
for tangi and hui within the rohe moana of both Ngati Toa and Ngati
Koata.
My whanau own a maritime training school. We also own a fishing
charter business and a small commercialfishing business.
Our vessel Destiny is the first Maori owned commercial vessel to be
launched, following the Crown's recognition under the Treaty of Maori
commercial fishing rights.
Destiny has gone on to establish her own unique mana, as the first
vessel to escort a waka (Te Awatea Hou) across Cook Strait and to
subsequently circumnavigate most of the North lsland and the top of

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the South lsland in over a hundred years. Destiny is still the only
vessel to have successfully escorted a waka ama all the way across
Cook Strait (not just a single trip but a return trip on the same day).
She is the only vesselto have successfully escorted a pedal powered
water craft across Cook Strait. She has appeared on television
documentaries three times.
9. I am a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Financial
Consultant. I am a Fellow of the lnstitute of Financial Advisers.
This evidence is in relation to the objection by Ngiti Koata to the
grant of resource consents for development of a salmon farm in
Waitata Reach in the Outer Pelorus Sound.
Personal Background
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I grew up on Rangitoto ki te Tonga (D'Urville lsland) where I learnt
most of my navigation and seamanship skills. I still presently own
land on Rangitoto kite Tonga.
My mother is Manganui Reeves. Her mother was Leena Watson,
who was raised on Arapawa lsland. My mothe/s grandmother was
Kaiherau of NgaiTahu and Te Atiawa (Puketapu Hapu). My mothe/s
grandfather was Tamati Tahuaroa Watson of Te Atiawa. My father
was Turi Ruruku Elkington. His mother was Wetekia Ruruku of Ngati
Koata and Ngati Awa. My father's father was Ratapu Elkington of
Ngati Toa and Ngati Tama. Ratapu's mother was Marara,
granddaughter of Nohorua, older brother of Te Rauparaha and one of
Ngati Toa's prominent chiefs.
My family has always had strong ties to the ocean, as did their
tupuna. The ocean still forms a vital part of our lives today but it was
even more integral to the lives of our tupuna. lt provided sustenance,
recreation, employment, spiritual well-being and a vital means of
travel.
It was via the ocean that the waka of the great migration touched the
shores of Aotearoa. The ocean and waka are bound up in the history

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Ngati Koata
of Maori migration and movement. They played a vital part in the
conquest of Te Tau lhu by Ngati Toa, Ngati Koata and their allies.
My father Turi Ruruku Elkington was born at sea and made his living
from the sea. His seafaring accomplishments are legendary.
Our family comes from a fishing background. My father and his
brothers and cousins were commercial fishermen. My father and
uncles saw that these skills were passed down. All of my brothers
and I are certified mariners. My older brother was the first Maori to
have both deep-sea navigation and deep-sea chief engineer's tickets.
My younger brother is a deep-sea skipper familiar with fishing in
international waters. He can catch more fish in one trip than my
father and uncles caught in their lifetimes combined. But they taught
him the basics.
ln the olden days people were more sea-oriented because there was
no other option. Knowledge of the tide and weather patterns was the
essence of living close to the sea. Such knowledge was passed
down to succeeding generations.
We were taught to navigate without navigational aids. We could
navigate by the sky and by the skyline at night. !f we got caught in
the fog, we would determine the motion of the vessel and the
direction of the wind and rain in relationship to our boat and we could
keep our boat on course.
For all of these reasons the sea and the marine environment are of
the utmost significance to us.
20. I am a board member for the Ngati Koata Trust Board.
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Following the battle on Kapiti lsland known as the battle of Waiorua in
1825, Ngati Koata accepted the tuku (customary gift) from
Tutepourangi, who was a paramount chief of Ngati Kuia and
associated iwi (who originally inhabited this part of the Sounds) and

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settled in Te Tau lhu. This tuku resulted in an arrangement of peace
between Ngati Koata and Ngati Kuia and associated iwi.
According to Ngati Koata history the tuku commenced at the western
entrance to the Pelorus Sound including Kurupongi (The Trios
lslands), Nga Kiore (The Jags), Takapourewa (Stephens lsland) and
on to FarewellSpit.
The tuku was cemented by high-ranking marriages between the
senior rangatira of Ngati Koata and the female relatives of
Tutepourangi and other senior Ngati Kuia leaders. By this means -
the joining of whakapapa -
the tuku was confirmed, the rights of Ngati
Koata were validated and the continuation of Ngati Kuia rights also
ensured.
ln accepting the tuku, Ngati Koata chiefs also accepted a kaitiaki role
to protect our Ngati Kuia cousins from our marauding North lsland
cousins. One of our fighting chiefs, a large man often called 'The
giant \Mrakatari', stationed himself outside the entrance to the
Pelorus Sound not far from both this subject salmon farm application
and the existing farm in Waihinau Bay. His mana and protection and
the mana.and protection of subsequent Ngati Koata chiefs extend
beyond the boundaries of the tuku. \tVhakatari's bravery and
protectionism are legendry.
It is under the same spirit of mana and protectionism established by
our Tupuna that this evidence is submitted. As such, the salmon
farms in the Waitata reach and the Pelorous are of significance to us.
Not just because we have our people living in the vicinity, as we did in
ancient times, but because our protectionism extends to all people,
regardless of race or culture.
Ngati Koata Trust has an lwi Management Plan (10 June 2002)
('Ngati Koata IMP') which has been lodged with Council. The'lMP' is
legal evidence that the protection of the environment is significant to
our lwi.

Position of Ngati Koata
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Ngati Koata is opposed to the establishment of such a large number
of salmon farms due to the cumulative effect they will have on the
moana, the mauri of the moana and all of the other taonga within the
area.
There are taonga that we as kaitiaki must protect. The \tVhanau hapu
and iwi are first and foremonst in the list of taonga. All of the lka and
manu in the rohe are also taonga. Besides iwi the next most
important taonga are Moana and the \Nhenua.
Ngdti Koata are a seagoing iwi. My family have been associated with
navigation for generations. lt is of upmost importance to be able to
navigate the sea. ln our ancestors days we would travel extensivley
and frequently by waka. Attached to my evidence and marked "1" is a
chart of our waka routes. The propsed farms at Tapipi and Richmond
will interfere with the waka routes and by so doing would impinge on
our mana, our kaitiakitanga and out rangatiratanga.
As A Seaman and mariner interfering with and changing the
navigation routes have major effects on our travel. Even though we
may rely on modern instruments for navigation the old waka routes
are a taonga to us as an iwi.
The area around Write Horse Rock is rich in marine and bird life.
Ngati Koata is very concerned about the contamination of the marine
environment by the salmon farm. ln particular, we are concerned
about the use of artificial feed, the use of chemicals such as copper
as antifoulants, and the deposition of fish faeces, which then impact
on the sea floor and the surrounding marine life.
Ngati Koata is concerned about the artificial feed to be used which is
described as being "sourced from overseas" and which is made up of
"fishmeal, fish oil and some vegetable or poultry protein" as well as
"added vitamins and minerals" (part 6.6 of the application)'

33. We are also very concerned about the deposition of faeces from the
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salmon and uneaten feed, which leads to over-enrichment of the
seabed, with extremely adverse effects on the seabed and
surrounding sea life. This is even more significant in combination
with the existing effects which are already occurring to the marine
environment from the farm at Waihinau Bay.
The Blue Cod Management Group report that there has been a huge
decline in fish stocks in the Sounds. Ngati Koata believes that
improving and maintaining the health of our marine environment is
crucial for this part of the Marlborough Sounds.
For all of these reasons, we believe that all of the salmon farms
applied for will have significant adverse effects on the marine
environment and on the natural character of this important part of the
Sounds. We consider that these effects are even more significant in
combination with existing effects from the current salmon farm at
Waihinau Bay.