Media release from North Canterbury Fish & Game

TrustPowers application to amend the Rakaia River Water Conservation Order

North Canterbury Fish & Game has reached agreement with TrustPower over the power company’s application to amend the Rakaia River Water Conservation Order.

North Canterbury Fish & Game opposed TrustPower’s application and was intending to present evidence against it at the hearing.

Following discussions between the two parties, North Canterbury Fish & Game has advised the hearing commissioner that we no longer oppose the application provided that amendments stipulated by North Canterbury Fish & Game are met.

The original wording change to the Water Conservation Order that TrustPower had applied for was, in North Canterbury Fish & Game’s opinion, too broad and left the values that the Order is protecting at risk. We have negotiated a wording change that reduced this risk.

The parties have also agreed to measures to reduce potential for adverse impacts on the Rakaia River’s salmon fishery, which was central to North Canterbury Fish & Game’s concerns about the application.

North Canterbury Fish & Game believe agreement reached is the best outcome that could have been hoped for given the manner in which the Government has weakened the Water Conservation Order provisions in order to foster more development of Canterbury’s waters. These provisions were introduced as part of the ECan Act.

North Canterbury Fish & Game would like to thank anglers for the strong support they received in the form of angler submissions. This support helped the organisation to get to the position where a settlement was possible.

The terms of the agreement between the two parties are subject to a conf

ENDS

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