Environment Southland has granted consent for the establishment of a small-scale experimental oyster farm near Stewart Island.
The consent is the first to be granted in the area since 2011, when the Ministry for Primary Industries relaxed a 28-year regulation prohibiting marine farming almost everywhere around the island. The exception is Big Glory Bay, Paterson Inlet, where salmon, mussel and flat oyster farms have been operating since the early 1980s.
Stewart Island resident Len Lind hopes to cultivate Bluff dredge oysters to saleable size at three sites by placing oyster spat and brood stock into 61 crayfish pots anchored to the sea bed. Each pot will be marked with a buoy.
Mr Lind lodged his application in November. Twenty-four submissions were received, eight in support, 13 opposed and three neutral. A hearing was held in May before independent commissioner Barry Kaye, of Auckland.
In his decision, circulated in the past few days, Mr Kaye said he believed the effects of the farm on the environment would be no more than minor, provided consent conditions were met.
He said Mr Lind was an experienced fisherman and the sites would not visually affect island residents or visitors or be a navigational hazard. Mr Kaye said granting consent would not set a precedent.
''Any future long-term aquaculture activity building on the results of this trial venture will need fresh consents that will be subject to appropriate assessment at that time, should such consents be sought.''
Mr Lind plans to monitor the farms at least monthly using a 10m-long boat. One of the groups opposing the application is the Dancing Star Foundation (DSF), which runs a 178ha pest-free ecological sanctuary on Stewart Island.
DSF representative Helen Beaven told the hearing the oyster farm would be 37m from shore and Mr Lind's boat would introduce a pest risk, as rats were known to stow away on boats and swim ashore. Among consent conditions Mr Kaye imposed was for Mr Lind to keep his boat rat-free and to have at least one pest bait station and one baited trap on board at all times.
Once resource consents are granted, parties unhappy with the decision have 30 working days in which to appeal to the Environment Court if they wish.
Stewart Island project
• Five-year consent granted to cultivate Bluff oysters in crayfish pots at three sites.
• Nathans Island site, 34 pots over 3.35ha area.
• Nugget site, nine pots over 0.73ha area.
• Horseshoe Bay site, 18 pots over 1.82ha area.
• Consent conditions include an annual coastal marine area occupation fee ($601.61 excluding GST in first year), monitoring of seabed at the sites; advising DOC if sea birds get tangled in marine farm structures; payment of $7500 bond as a security against non-compliance of consent conditions; and a guarantee to remove marine farm structures if a site is abandoned.
• Marine Farm licence required from Ministry for Primary Industries before farms can be established.
