Investigation to be launched into salmon farm incident

An investigation into why a salmon farm the size of a rugby field drifted free from its moorings yesterday, resulting in the closure of the Tory Channel, will begin early next week.

At about 8.20am yesterday the NZ King Salmon farm, with one million fish and eight staff on board, drifted towards the channel and risked floating into the ferry lanes.

Several ferries had to be redirected to avoid running into the farm.

Port of Marlborough harbourmaster Captain Alex van Wijngaarden said authorities had had great co-operation from the salmon farm operators who realised the potential risk involved.

The channel reopened yesterday afternoon.

Mr van Wijngaarden said that part of the farm had been towed from Oyster Bay to Ruakaka Bay in Queen Charlotte Sound yesterday.

The rest of the farm would be towed to the bay today.

"It will be moored there until the mooring configuration for the area where it is supposed to be has been set up."

Mr van Wijngaarden said he did not know how long it would take before the farm could be towed back to its original site.

He said that as harbourmaster he would be looking into why the mooring failure occured.

He said he hoped to speak with King Salmon today, but an investigation would not start until early next week.

NZ King Salmon chief executive Paul Steere said yesterday tides and a high current had caused the moorings to snap, despite the farm having been assessed to ensure such a situation would not occur.

"That's nature for you," Mr Steere said.

"It will cost a few bob to get it back from the channel and there will be some fish losses as well."

Mr Steere apologised for any inconvenience but said closing the channel was necessary due to the safety problems the nets dragging underneath the farm could have posed for passing vessels.

- NZPA