Strong opposition to new salmon pens

A decision on whether to add four pens to an existing salmon farm in the Marlborough Sounds has faced strong opposition.

Hearings were held in front of a commissioner in Blenheim this week, to determine whether New Zealand King Salmon could add the net pens, along with anchors and surface floats, to the Waitata Reach salmon farm in the outer Pelorus Sound/te Hoiere.

Community groups raised concerns about the effects on the seabed and king shag seabirds. They also wanted more information about how many fish had been dying at the farm.

While Marlborough District Council said there wasn’t enough information to make a decision, the harbourmaster did not support the extension on navigational grounds.

NZ King Salmon’s application sought to increase the pen surface structures from 1.5 hectares to 2.25 to ‘‘improve fish health by decreasing stock densities’’.

King Salmon’s lawyer Quentin Davies emphasised this wasn’t an application for a salmon farm, just a further four pens.

Bev Doole, speaking on behalf of volunteer organisation the Marlborough Environment Centre, opposed the application, saying there was a lack of evidence for an informed decision.

She said there was still uncertainty around the relocation of farms proposal, which was awaiting Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash’s decision, and they needed information about the number of fish deaths at the Waitata farm. ‘‘How is the decision-maker expected to assess the seriousness of the situation without this information?’’

Doole cited the ‘‘gruelling’’ board of inquiry process from 2011 to 2014, which included 37 days of hearings, an appeal to the High Court, and a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court.

The decision limited the number of salmon farms for Waitata Reach. Three others were turned down because of the cumulative effects on water quality, landscape, natural character, king shag feeding and tangata whenua values, she said. A fifth farm sought at White Horse Rock, was declined. She highlighted this because the site is ‘‘next door’’ to the Waitata farm.

Following his submission, Friends of Nelson Haven committee member Rob Schuckard said salmon farming was not a ‘‘neutral activity. It has an effect on the environment.’’

Waitata Reach is ‘‘the most important feeding area’’ for the biggest colony of shag, he said.

Wendy Mcguinness of thinktank Mcguinness Institute said if the application was a response to climate change, they believed the ‘‘effects of climate change’’ should be outlined. ‘‘The Marlborough Sounds ecosystem is already under stress due to climate change ... Refusing this application is one way of safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems, but more will need to be done.’’

Marlborough District Council Harbourmaster Luke Grogan was not satisfied that the existing cage and moorings at the Waitata site were safe. ‘‘This creates navigation safety concern.’’

NZ King Salmon sustainability manager Mark Gillard said they would not be increasing the amount of feed or the number of fish.

They wanted to ‘‘grow’’ the fish in 12 pens rather than eight, which would also make it easier to separate fish by brood, or the year they were hatched.

Commissioner John Mills would wait to receive submissions from NZ King Salmon in writing, before making a decision.