Record marine farm approved
BY BLAIR ENSOR
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The largest marine farming development in Marlborough's history has been given the green light by the Government.
The Ministry of Fisheries announced this morning it had approved an application from Wakatu Incorporation to farm green-lipped mussels in 770 hectares of Tasman Bay, south of d'Urville Island.
The area eclipses a 424ha Clifford Bay development, approved in December last year, as the largest in Marlborough.
The manager of the ministry' chief executive office, John Beaglehole, said it was one of the few remaining aquaculture applications under the Fisheries Act 1983.
The ministry applied a statutory test in reaching its decision.
The proposed farm is located in a commercial flatfish fishery, but the ministry considered it would not have an undue adverse effect on the fishery, Mr Beaglehole said.
Wakatu Incorporation previously applied for a marine farming permit at the site of the current application in 2003. The ministry declined the application in April 2007 due to concerns about the effects on commercial fishing, but ntsGnewnte data available since October 2007 showed the effects of the farm on commercial fishing would be less than previously thought, he said.
The proposed farm could now be developed in four stages, in accordance with an Adaptive Management Programme approved by the Marlborough District Council.
Environmental monitoring would be undertaken at each stage.
Development could proceed only if the council was satisfied that the marine farm was not having a significant adverse effect on the environment, he said.
Wakatu Incorporation is a private company, owned by Maori and based in Nelson.
The company owns Aotearoa Seafoods, the country's fourth largest processor of greenshell mussels, based in Blenheim.
- The Marlborough Express
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The new farn is in Tasman Bay, not the Marlborough Sounds...
Seems big big business has it over navigational obstructions and recreational users in Marlborough. Council has little recourse in this case. After the Marine Farm Moratorium: 1) There should have been not farms greater than the original largest 2) There should have been no new "areas" in the sounds granted consents 3) There should have been a consolodation between Council & fisheries in terms of license management. Money before the environment all the way eh?
This farm is a concern as very little is known about this area from the point of dolphin species and migration. Existing farms are already having a negative impact on many dolphin species including Dusky, Orca and Bottlenose. Bottlenose have just been listed from not threatened to nationally endangered due to habitat erosion. Flow on effects from this farm will have dire consequences for the food web in particular pilchard for Dusky Dolphins as spawn and fish flow through this area to find there way through French Pass and into Admiralty Bay, a globally significant winter feeding ground for Dusky Dolphins. For underwater video of a marine farm go to 'wildlife threats' at www.frenchpass.com