Marine farms fined $30,000 for being oversized

Two Northland marine farms have been fined a total of $30,000 for being up to 70 per cent larger than consents allowed for, Northland Regional Council said today.

Westpac Mussels Distributors Ltd was fined $20,000 and Houhora Bay Marine Farms $10,000 after both admitted charges of illegally occupying the coastal marine area and erecting marine farming structures in Houhora Bay.

The companies were sentenced in Auckland District Court by Judge Craig Thompson in early April, with the judge's sentencing notes released recently.

Northland Regional Council's coastal monitoring team leader, Bruce Howse, said council measurements showed Westpac Mussels Distributors Ltd had exceeded its authorised marine farming areas by 13.05ha -- 70 per cent more than its consent allowed for -- and Houhora Bay Marine Farms had exceeded its authorised area by 2.35ha.

Judge Thompson said that in terms of general deterrence, the message needed to be sent to the industry that if farmers were found not to be complying, then the commercial consequences would be unattractive.

- NZPA