After waiting 25 years the Marlborough public are quietly being stripped of their right to have a say on Marlborough Sounds aquaculture settings for another generation. This is the effect of a recently promulgated National Environmental Standard for Aquaculture (NES).

From 1 December 2020 existing Sounds aquaculture will be able to gain new resource consents for a default minimum term of 20 years using a new streamlined process under the NES. The public will be excluded from this process. This process will prohibit any regard being had to what should rightly be treated as outstanding areas and to the adverse cumulative effects of existing Sounds aquaculture.

Modern standards and assessment tools show that some areas, such as Clova Bay in the Pelorus Sound, are taking major ecological hits through existing farming intensities. There are other areas, such as East Bay in Queen Charlotte Sound, that might rightly deserve to be protected as outstanding areas.

A critical premise of this new NES process is that the Marlborough public has had it’s say on existing aquaculture - through a process of identifying inappropriate aquaculture areas under the new Marlborough Environment Plan (MEP).

The problem is this is yet to happen - Marlborough District Council (MDC) has still not proposed any aquaculture rules for the MEP. Even if it does before 1 December, all indications are that MDC will adopt an unfounded baseline that existing aquaculture can all be accommodated. It will not be based on a public and independently adjudicated process of what are outstanding areas and nor will it be based on appropriate cumulative ecological effect standards and principles.

These things will need to be taken up and properly addressed through the yet to happen MEP public hearing and appeal process - after the aquaculture chapter has been notified by MDC. This hearing process can’t happen before 1 December 2020. This means that come 1 December the NES stands to facilitate a premature re-consenting of some Sounds aquaculture - and for a default minimum term of 20 more years.

It has been 25 years since the Marlborough public had a planning say on Sounds aquaculture. Over that time landscape values have changed and decision makers have failed to properly grapple with growing cumulative effects and ecosystem impacts. Sounds aquaculture is now well beyond anything contemplated 25 years ago.

To now deny the public the opportunity of a say for another generation is undemocratic. To do so without a proper assessment of existing activity under modern standards and principles is also reckless.

The solution is simple. MDC must adopt a transitional re-consenting process for existing aquaculture to ensure that inappropriate aquaculture is not wrongly consented for another generation.

This release is from: Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association Inc ; Clova Bay Residents Association Inc; East Bay Conservation Society Inc; Guardians of the Sounds Inc; Friends of Nelson Haven and Tasman Bay Inc; Marlborough Environment Centre Inc.

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