Okiwi Bay research facility ready to go

Nearly two years on from being given the green light to construct a new research facility in the Marlborough Sounds, work on fish food company Skretting’s controversial project at Okiwi Bay is just weeks away from completion.

Skretting NZ technical manager Ben Wybourne said despite some delays in the arrival of main trial tanks, most of the main equipment and systems had been installed.

‘‘All going well, we’ll have our first fish within the next two months,’’ he said.

The proposal had met fierce opposition from Okiwi Bay residents who organised protests, petitions and provided submissions to voice their concerns over noise, light pollution and environmental impacts.

At the time of the resource consent being granted, Okiwi Bay resident Diana Taylor said she was ‘‘very disappointed’’ at the outcome.

‘‘I think [there’s] a number of issues and they combine to make it an upheaval in the bay, to our way of life.

‘‘Here’s a commercial operation that’s going to be 24/7, 365 days a year, for 16 or 17 years. It’s going to have a huge impact.’’

The Marlborough District Council initially received 219 submissions in relation to Skretting’s application, of which 10 were in support and 209 were opposed.

Commissioner Ron Crosby granted the company permission to establish the facility in Okiwi Bay in a 71-page decision, released on July 7, 2016.

Skretting received the final goahead in late February 2017, after an environment court appeal lodged by three individuals against the MDC decision was resolved prior to the matter being heard.

As part of an agreement between the parties, Skretting was required to extend the fixed location of its discharge pipeline to a 200m distance at high tide from the mean high water mark.

Wybourne said the appeal had delayed construction of the facility by six months and had ‘‘added a lot of cost’’ to the project.

However, the building process had gone well since then and he was confident that the finished facility would be an unobtrusive but useful addition to the Sounds.

‘‘I’m sure there’s a handful of people who are still never going to like it as an idea, but I’ve been pleased how little on-going opposition there has been, actually.

‘‘We just hope to be quiet and not be a big issue and I’m sure it won’t be – I think people will find this really interesting and we’ll be very happy for them to come and look at the fish once we’re up and running.

‘‘We can’t wait for it to start because we’ve got questions that we want to answer and learn about.’’

Okiwi Bay Residents’ Association chairman Tim Greenhough was approached for comment.