People demand tougher standards
Southlanders made it known to Ministry for Primary Industries staff they want to see tougher biosecurity standards for the marine aquaculture industry.
About 30 people were at a ministry public consultation meeting for proposed National Environment Standard for marine aquaculture in Invercargill yesterday.
The standard would set national rules that would replace regional council rules governing marine aquaculture.
Ministry for Primary Industries Aquaculture analyst Finn Sumner said the aim was to develop a more consistent and efficient planning framework for the management of existing marine aquaculture and biosecurity while supporting sustainable aquaculture.
Under the proposal, all existing marine farms would need to prepare, implement and regularly update biosecurity management plans by January 31, 2025.
Many in the room were critical of the fact that under the current proposal existing farms had eight years before they had to have a biosecurity plan in place.
Direct Fish and Oyster owner Willy Calder said biosecurity needed to be tightened up now before the bull ‘‘gets out the gate’’.
‘‘You just about ruined an industry down here by lack of biosecurity up in Marlborough with the oysters. We wouldn’t have this problem down here if it was handled right.’’
Sumner said the key reason they set that as a proposed date was that about 64 per cent of consents were set ot expire in 2024 and under the Resource Management Act, if the regional council was required to review a resource con- sent condition under a National Environment Standard, it would not be able to recover the costs.
There would be more 1000 consents that would need to be reviewed with regional councils footing the bill, he said.
Senior aquaculture analyst Paul Creswell added that there was nothing stopping marine farmers from putting in place biosecurity management plans now.
Another audience member asked if the ministry anticipated any tightening of the biosecurity timeframes pending any outcome of the Bonamia incursion investigation.
Sumner said the the incursion had ‘‘definitely shone a light’’ on biosecurity.
Others also questioned the fact that councils would be able to process replacement consents for existing farms as non-notified when there was genuine public interest in light of the Bonamia incursion.
Sumner encouraged people with concerns to make a submission on the proposed changes.
Consultation ends at 5pm on August 8.