Tentative 'yes' to biggest mussel farm

New Zealand's largest marine farm - spanning 3800ha in eastern Bay of Plenty - has been given the tentative go-ahead by the Ministry of Fisheries.

The preliminary decision gave approval for Eastern Sea Farms to create a mussel farm on 80 per cent of the area applied for.

The ministry's aquaculture manager Dan Lees said the site - more than 5.5km offshore from Opotiki - appeared suitable for marine farming, although the ministry had some concerns about the effects of the farm on the sustainability of fisheries and commercial fishing in the Bay of Plenty.

Mr Lees said there was little information available on the long-term effects of large-scale marine farms in New Zealand. "We have approached development of the farm with caution."

Eastern Sea Farms is a joint venture between Whakatohea Maori Trust Board, Tasman Mussels and New Zealand Sea Farms.

The company is predominantly Maori owned.

It applied for 3800ha of water space for mussel farming and 950ha for mussel farming and spat catching, located between 3 nautical miles (5.5km) and 6 nautical miles offshore from Opotiki. The latter project, the closer of the two to shore, was declined, Mr Lees said.

In support of its case, Eastern Sea Farms said the proposal was located at a sufficient distance from main navigational routes and recreational boats could pass over the subsurface structures.

At its closest point, 5.5km from the shore, the farm would be out of sight, and moorings would be installed to allow recreational boats to fish near the farm.

Eastern Sea Farms conceded commercial fishing could be affected, however, and discussions were underway to mitigate the effects of the proposed farm on commercial activity.

Affected parties have until May 5 to make written submissions on the ministry's preliminary decision.

Mr Lees wouldn't be drawn on whether the project would gain final approval. "We have made a preliminary decision to issue most of the site, and now we are going back to people asking for additional information," he said. "I have to re-weigh the decision based on that additional information so I can't say which way for sure it will go."

Eastern Seafarm's application was lodged ahead of recent aquaculture reforms. Under the old dual permit system, the Ministry of Fisheries can process the application but cannot issue a marine farming permit until the Environment Court has approved resource consent. That consent is under appeal by the court.

Previously, the country's largest marine farm development was the 2465ha Napier Mussels project, approved in 2004.

Work began on the farm, 5.5km off Waipatiki, in January this year. The Napier farm, a joint venture between Nga ti Kahungunu and Sealords Shellfish, is expected to take about 15 years to develop.

Both farms are based on a pioneering process of raft structures, with ropes suspended beneath a floating platform. The process was adapted from technology used in Japan for scallop farming.

The lines are submerged at a depth of 10m, protecting them from ocean swells. The structure is anchored to the sea bed.

A similar proposal by Bay of Plenty Mussels is on hold.

- NZPA