Opposition to Dutch Corporate Fish Farming in Pristine Bay

Outdoor Council Opposes Dutch Corporate Fish Farming in Pristine Bay

A national outdoor recreation council has opposed an application by a foreign corporate fish farm company to set up a research complex in an idyllic Marlborough Sounds Bay.

The Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ) has said fish farming is “poor compensation” for New Zealand’s over-exploited natural fish stocks.

The Dutch-based corporate Skrettings wants to set up a land-based operation at Okiwi Bay in the western Marlborough Sounds, an hour and a half drive from Nelson. Skrettings has a dedicated fin fish research facility in Norway and research units in Italy, Spain, China and Japan plus other research collaborations in other countries.

CORANZ secretary Hugh Bar said New Zealand’s fisheries needed proper management instead of a free market tradeable-based quota system that was giving corporate companies a monopoly of the resource.

“This plan is about fish farming - a high risk operation. Aquaculture by its very nature of crowded ponds heightens the risk of diseases.”

He pointed out in the Marlborough Sounds, fish losses have been high at King Salmon’s farms and often “unexplained” while sediment containing excess food and fish excreta had degraded the Sounds’ sea bed.

Effluent (suspended solids) would be discharged into Okiwi Bay with the outlet pipe close to the shore in the area of swimming and a boat launching ramp.

CORANZ criticised plans to carry out rainbow trout farming which currently was an illegal activity.

“Should the proposal have been rejected because it wants a prohibited use which to revoke would require an amendment to an Act of Parliament?” said Hugh Barr.

CORANZ emphasised the Marlborough Sounds with outdoor recreation of fishing, boating, tramping and holiday making was a significant public asset of the public domain. The question of whether the Marlborough Sounds should be a public park with its unique outdoor and scenic values, with no more aquaculture permitted whether sea or land based, needed examining.

“The Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park Board concept could well be reinstated with democratically elected board and a ban on further “industrial” commercial aquaculture,” said Hugh Barr.

He said New Zealanders were increasingly concerned about foreign investment.

“Developers and politicians can dismiss this concern as “xenophobic” but CORANZ regards the disquiet as admirably “patriotic”,” he said.

Corporates, particularly foreign, have no interest in the environment or intangibles like outdoor recreation and corporates number one priority was exploitation and profits.

ENDS

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