No funding for agency

BY JOSH REICH

Any new aquaculture agency set up within the Ministry of Fisheries will not receive extra government funding, the department's chief executive has revealed.

Wayne McNee was speaking at the second day of the Aquaculture New Zealand Conference in Nelson yesterday, where he outlined the possible functions of a new agency.

On Thursday, Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley released the report of a government technical advisory group, which suggested widespread changes to help free up the sector and make it easier to create new aquaculture space.

Among the suggestions, which industry has until mid-December to give feedback on, was that a minister for aquaculture be appointed and an agency within MFish be created.

Mr McNee said while no decision had been made, he was very enthusiastic about the possibility of an agency. Its roles could include focusing on aquaculture policy development, technical support to councils, doing resource consent applications and administering a consent register.

"But probably the most important thing it would do, would coordinate the government interest in aquaculture, because there are many, many doors in government for aquaculture."

Mr McNee said MFish, the Department of Conservation, Trade and Enterprise and Food Safety were among the groups the industry had to deal with.

"You will continue to have a role as this goes ahead in dealing with those agencies, but we would try and coordinate the interest so there is a central focal point and if there are issues for the industry there is somewhere for you to go to," Mr McNee said.

No extra funding would be made available for the agency.

"It won't need an enormous resource and that's just as well because there will be no new money.

"The ministers have said very clearly that if the Ministry of Fisheries does get this agency, it will get no money.

"So we'll have to redistribute the funds from our existing work into this business unit."

Meanwhile, Nelson MP and Environment Minister Nick Smith told the conference that changes to legislation, including the Resource Management Act, would make it easier for aquaculture projects such as new farms and experimental species development to get off the ground.

No new aquaculture space has been created since a moratorium on new permits was lifted in 2004.

Dr Smith said putting successful economic and environmental policies together was the way forward.

"Last century's politics equated environmentalism with more regulation and almost a fervour of anti-capitalism.

"Today it is well recognised that successful environmental policies need a strong market economy and visa-versa."

Dr Smith said new rules would give council officials greater discretion, as well as accountability to make sure things were processed in a timely manner.

"We must consign to history the ridiculous situation where it takes longer to get consent for projects than it actually takes to build them."

However, any development had to be done in consideration with other users, and rigorous standards that protected the environment and allowed innovation.

- © Fairfax NZ News