15
July, 2008 - Environment Minister Trevor
Mallard today announced funding for aquaculture
projects in Tasman, Northland and Marlborough
aimed at progressing aquaculture planning
and the sustainable development of the aquaculture
industry in New Zealand.
"Funding of $2.6
million over four years has been provided
for six new aquaculture projects that will
take place mainly in Northland, Tasman and
Marlborough.
"They are aimed
at facilitating the creation of new aquaculture
space, and they will also explore how there
can be greater flexibility for the farming
of new species in existing space (details
below)," Trevor Mallard said.
The minister today was
briefed on the two Tasman-based aquaculture
projects during a visit to Nelson-based
New Zealand King Salmon.
Fisheries Minister Jim
Anderton said the projects were important
for the development of the industry.
"Aquaculture has
immense potential to help transform New
Zealand’s economy in both environmentally
and socially sustainable ways. New Zealand’s
farmed fish and shellfish production is
now worth $300 million a year and there
is an industry strategy in place to reach
a billion dollars in sales by 2025.
"Through these
projects we want to ensure that maximum
value is achieved from existing space. The
projects will also focus on the development
of new aquaculture management areas and
address issues relating to restrictions
on species that can be farmed. We also want
to test the potential of farming off-shore,"
Jim Anderton said.
Background information
on the new projects follows.
Aquaculture projects
Small extensions to
existing marine farms - Marlborough
An investigation into rationalising the
‘coastal ribbon’ of marine farms and thereby
creating new space will be carried out.
The project involves the Ministry for the
Environment and other relevant government
agencies working with the Marlborough District
Council, iwi and industry to work out how
to slightly extend and maximise the space
available for aquaculture.
Removing restrictions
on species - Tasman
The Ministry for the Environment will work
with the Tasman District Council to assist
them to review their plan provisions with
the possibility of broadening them to include
aquaculture activities other than mussel
and scallop spat catching and mussel farming.
Facilitating commercialisation
of offshore aquaculture
This project involves the Ministry for the
Environment and Ministry of Fisheries working
with industry, the Ministry of Research,
Science and Technology and scientific researchers
to further investigations into the viability
of commercialisation of offshore aquaculture.
Voluntary aquaculture
agreements - Tasman
Government assistance will be provided for
commercial fishing quota holders and aquaculture
interests in Tasman to negotiate voluntary
aquaculture agreements to allow high quality
aquaculture space to become available. The
project recognises the unique situation
with respect to aquaculture and fishing
interests in Tasman, and allows the voluntary
agreement provisions of the aquaculture
law to be tested.
Northland aquaculture
management areas
The Ministry for the Environment and other
relevant government agencies will work with
Northland Regional Council, industry and
the local community on the development of
new aquaculture management areas, working
within the framework recently developed
by the Council. Investigations into the
possibility of a government-led plan change
to create new aquaculture management areas
are proposed.
Reviewing the restriction
on commercial farming of Undaria
The Ministry for the Environment will work
with Biosecuity New Zealand to review the
current restriction on the commercial harvest
of Undaria, an exotic Asian seaweed introduced
to New Zealand approximately 20 years ago
that is now common in a number of aquaculture
areas.
+ More
Govt contributes $1.5m
to Patea site cleanup
Trevor Mallard4 July,
2008 - The government has recognised the
importance of a safe environment for Patea’s
residents by allocating $1.5 million towards
a clean-up of the town’s contaminated old
freezing works site, Environment Minister
Trevor Mallard announced today.
The former industrial
site was badly damaged by fire in February.
"The clean-up is
a priority now that a site investigation
has revealed the extent of asbestos and
heavy metals contamination. The people of
Patea are rightly concerned about this hazardous
blight on their town. Before the fire, we
knew the site was contaminated and had set
aside funding to find out how badly,"
Trevor Mallard said.
"But the blaze
means the area now needs cleaning up as
quickly as possible. So I am pleased to
announce a special allocation that will
account for 75 per cent of the estimated
total clean-up cost," Trevor Mallard
said.
The site borders an
estuary ecosystem which has significant
cultural value for local iwi. Though the
contamination is temporarily contained by
a special membrane, asbestos-laden ash left
by the fire is a potential hazard.
"This clean-up
is a good example of how central and local
government can work in partnership to rid
New Zealand of the worst abandoned contaminated
sites," Trevor Mallard said.
The former freezing
works site has divided ownership, between
a private company (which has already cleaned
up its 35 per cent holding), the Department
of Conservation (1 per cent), South Taranaki
District Council (19 per cent), and land
(45 per cent) which was owned by a now-dissolved
company. The secretary to the Treasury is
now considering the matter of ownership
of this part of the site.
Trevor Mallard says
experts have estimated the $2 million clean-up
could take 40 weeks. The project will be
managed by the local councils and will involve
input from health authorities and the Labour
Department.
