The objective of this bill is to improve the allocation and transfer process provided for in the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 to better enable the allocation and transfer of aquaculture settlement assets to iwi. According to the bill's general policy statement, currently iwi in some regions are facing indefinite delays in receiving their aquaculture assets from the trustee, Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Ltd. This is due to the inability of iwi in those regions at times to reach agreement in accordance with the provisions of the settlement Act about how regional aquaculture settlement assets should be allocated amongst them. 