Salmon farm expansion application turned down

NZ King Salmon’s application to extend a farm in the Marlborough Sounds has been rejected because of environmental and navigational concerns.

NZ King Salmon applied to add four net pens, along with anchors and surface floats, to the Waitata Reach salmon farm in the outer Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere.

But commissioner John Mills declined the application, saying it was ‘‘troubling’’ to see the waste ‘‘footprint’’ of the existing farm already extended 14 hectares beyond what was consented and NZ King Salmon had failed to outline how the footprint was expected to increase after adding new pens. In his decision, released on Thursday, Mills said he was also not satisfied the existing farm was ‘‘safe in navigational terms’’.

‘‘These two matters alone leave me no option but to decline the application,’’ Mills said.

NZ King Salmon wanted to increase the pen surface structures from 1.5 hectares to 2.25ha, to spread fish stock over a wider area. The increase in pen numbers would facilitate a shift to ‘‘single year-class farming’’, with pens stocked with smolt at the same time, which would be grown through to harvest.

In submissions made at the hearings in November, NZ King Salmon seawater and aquaculture manager Grant Lovell said the proposal would reduce fish stock density on the farm over the crucial summer period, and should improve fish health, biosecurity and farm management.

The environmental concerns of community based conservation groups were also heard, including Friends of Nelson

Haven, Guardians of the Sounds, Marlborough Environment Centre and the Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association. Te Ru¯nanga a Rangita¯ne o Wairau and Te Ru¯nanga o Nga¯ti Kuia Trust both submitted in opposition to the proposal. The thrust of all submissions and the evidence from Marlborough District Council was that NZ King Salmon had not contained its ‘‘depositional footprint’’ within the area written into its consent, Mills said. It was also not occupying the farm at full capacity.

‘‘I find it troubling that not only has the applicant failed to satisfactorily explain and address the reasons for the existing non-compliance but has also applied to farm additional cages that are expected to further extend the depositional footprint.’’

Mills said the evidence from council harbourmaster Luke Grogan about navigation safety concerns was ‘‘equally troubling’’. Grogan raised concerns about the potential for cage structures and farm equipment to break free and become a navigational hazard. A ‘‘significant structural failure’’ involving cage structures occurred in April 2016.

Grogan had been seeking assurances from NZ King Salmon about the security of the moorings at the Waitata farm since mid-2017. This had not been received.

Mills said it would be ‘‘imprudent’’ to grant consent to any expansion of this farm while these navigational concerns remained. He also deemed the increased footprint would cause an adverse effect visually, and on natural character and there could be adverse effects to the king shag habitat.

NZ King Salmon’s Paul McIntyre said it was ‘‘clearly disappointed’’. ‘‘We have an opportunity to appeal so won’t be commenting further at this time.’’