Environment Southland planner Matthew McCallum-Clark made the comment during the last day of a hearing in Invercargill about Environment Southland's proposed water and land plan.
The proposal aims to address declining water quality and manage land-use activities that contribute a significant level of contaminants.
The appeal process was split into two stages - Topic A, which covers the objectives and physiographic zone policies, and Topic B, the rules that directly govern land and water use.
The hearing panel for the first stage, headed by Judge Jane Borthwick, considered 19 appeals from submitters including Ngai Tahu, Federated Farmers, Forest & Bird and Southland Fish & Game.
The second topic is likely to be heard next year.
Much of the hearing, which started on June 4, focused on the wording of aspects of the plan, such as the specifics of the region-wide objectives.
Many submitters were concerned with the economic consequences of the proposed plan.
Others believed the document did not do enough to address a decline in water quality.
Experts said it was clear areas of the region were degraded with respect to ecosystem and human health.
Mr McCallum-Clark made some recommendations to the panel about the plan's objectives.
Federated Farmers lawyer Clare Lenihan said it was largely supportive of a lot of the document, but challenged Mr McCallum-Clark about reference to the primary industries.
He proposed the exclusion of "primary production" in objective 2, which stated "water and land is recognised as an enabler of primary production and the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the region."
She said this was odd as these industries were responsible for 35% of the GDP of the region.
Evidence from Ngai Tahu expert witness Dr Jane Kitson was acknowledged by the court.
In her appeal document, she said the current state of freshwater failed to meet the needs of the environment and the health of the people.
"Considering that Te Mana o te Wai requires putting the health of the wai as the highest priority, then this failure means that Te Mana o te Wai is not supported."
Judge Borthwick said this should be taken in consideration.
She adjourned the hearing until the last week of July, when the appellants' lawyers would present their closing statements.
