Regulatory costs could cripple aquaculture industry

Excessive government and regional council charges may cripple Marlborough's burgeoning aquaculture industry, forcing some small and medium players out of business, say industry leaders.

New Zealand Mussel Industry Council executive officer Lorna Holton said marine farmers were looking down the barrel of a whole raft of new government and council charges on top of those they already paid.

These could include new coastal occupancy charges, bonds, line levies, reporting requirements and a host of extra administration fees.

"Government officials are currently reviewing an aquaculture implementation plan that lists 14 separate projects led either by the Ministry for the Environment, DOC, Ministry of Fisheries or regional councils.

"Not one of these projects adds up all the extra costs industry is likely to face if the projects are implemented in their current form," she said.

While individual councils are still in the process of deciding if and how they will implement the new coastal occupancy charges, all eyes are on Auckland, where initial figures discussed could amount to a charge of $1000 per hectare.

New Zealand Marine Farm Association president Rob Pooley said the combined effect of the strong New Zealand dollar and rising fuel and regulatory charges of the past two years, with the prospect of more to come, was extremely daunting for farmers.

"We accept there should be a cost to occupy space in the public domain.

"But what we do ask for, and fight for, is respect and equity ."

Marlborough District Council manager of environmental policy and information Richard Keys said the council would look at the issue over the next year.

"We will be looking at a full range of things occupying the coastal marine area that should attract charges, and marine farms are only one of them," he said.

"The main point is that any charges applied are reasonable, but there will be some people in other sectors who won't want to be paying anything at all. Politically, the big jetties and moorings are going to be an issue."

Any money collected could only be used for sustainable management of the coastal area .

- NZPA