Aquaculture changes will come at cost - experts

Recreational and commercial fishermen are concerned about the possible loss of water space if plans to expand the marine farming industry take off.

Among the proposals in the aquaculture technical advisory group report released in Nelson by Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley earlier this month are the creation of an aquaculture agency within the Ministry of Fisheries, the appointment of a minister of aquaculture, lifting the ban on industry development outside aquaculture management areas and redesign of the undue adverse effects test on fishing.

The aquaculture industry, which is hoping to be a billion-dollar industry by 2025, has supported many of the recommendations, saying development has stagnated because of the regulatory environment.

However, Mariri's Geoff Rowling, president of the New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council, said he was alarmed by how the changes may affect amateur fishermen.

"It sounds like we're going back to the bad old days where anyone can apply for a piece of aquaculture anywhere they like and then the rest of us have to try to defend that sea space.

Before a moratorium was placed on the development of new aquaculture space at the start of the decade, there was a rash of applications for marine farms that took up productive fishing grounds in Tasman and Golden bays, and the Marlborough Sounds, Mr Rowling said.

"Well, if we're going to revert to that kind of regime it will just be total disaster."

He said there was the chance of conflict if aquaculture space was granted over productive scallop beds as commercial fishermen would try to assert rights over areas they now allowed recreational fishermen to use.

"Is that the way Government and the marine farming industry wants us to be in our marine environment? Do we want to be fighting each other?

"It's hugely unproductive."

Motueka-based Federation of Commercial Fishermen president Doug Saunders-Loder said any change to the undue adverse effects test would be of concern as at present it allowed commercial interests to protect their fishing rights: "To lose that would simply mean we would have no negotiating power."

Mr Saunders-Loder said the advancement of the aquaculture industry was positive, provided it did not impact on other users of marine space and resources.

Environmental Defence Society coastal policy researcher Raewyn Peart questioned the credibility of the proposed changes. Some recommendations were sensible, she said, such as a per-hectare levy on marine farms to help cover costs and avoid a "gold-rush" for free space.

But the advisory group's dual role as industry watchdog and industry promoter were incompatible, she said.

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