Fiordland resource consents halted

It’s been described as a ‘‘goldrush’’ – and moves have been made to halt it.

No new resource consents will be issued in Fiordland National Park after Te Ao Marama and the Fiordland Marine Guardians raised concerns about commercial boat activity.

Environment Southland councillors approved to notify a proposed surface water activity plan change at a council meeting this week.

The change will introduce new measures to temporarily manage commercial surface water activities in Fiordland. Regional council policy and planning manager Lucy Hicks said Te Ao Marama and the Fiordland Marine Guardians were concerned about increasing intensity around consent applications. A report said the ‘‘existing amount and type of boat activity is eroding wilderness values for some people’’.

But councillor Lloyd Esler said the definition of wilderness values was very subjective.

‘‘There’s an awful lot of room in there . . . large vessels provide a lot of scale to someone that’s looking at the majestic mountains and things there.

Their intrusion in the landscape is minute, and I don’t see how we can say there’s pressure on fiords when they’re using such a tiny bit of it.’’

He said the policy would exclude tourism, which would make it difficult for people to visit the area.

Environment Southland Chairman Nicol Horrell said the plan change would not apply to cruise ships.

Stewart Bull, speaking on behalf of Te Ao Marama, said ‘‘a gold rush was starting to happen’’ for consents and concessions to be in Fiordland.

‘‘Once they’re established there, there’s no coming back, so it was a precautionary move,’’ he said.