Marine farmers resigned to moratorium extension

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Marine farmers appear resigned to further delays as they face an extended moratorium on new sea farms.

Industry sources say the moratorium, which began in November 2001 and is due to be lifted next March, will be extended up to nine months.

But Graeme Coates, executive officer of the Marine Farming Association, believes even a year's extension is optimistic.

"When you are in this game you get used to things like this," he said.

The Aquaculture Reform Bill was originally due to be introduced in August, but is now unlikely to be seen until the first half of next year.

Seafood Industry Council chief executive Owen Symmans said the industry required investment and that required certainty. It was struggling because of Sars hitting sales and the rising dollar.

The moratorium "just adds to the pressure ... they are going through a bad patch at the moment".

Estimations of the moratorium's cost to the industry vary, but it is expected to be in the tens of millions.

Aquaculture earns about $280 million a year and has a historical growth rate of around 7 per cent.

Growth has been halted by the moratorium, which was put in place to stop a rush of new marine farms being established while the Government overhauled the legislation.

But legislation has been delayed by iwi claims over water space, backed by a Waitangi Tribunal report, and the foreshore and seabed debate.