Law gives marine farms fast track

Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley. Photo / Northern Advocate

The Government has thrown its weight behind the aquaculture industry's bid to become a billion-dollar export sector with new legislation to remove regulatory roadblocks and streamline the consenting process for new marine farms.

The legislation was read for the first time in Parliament yesterday, ahead of this week's annual aquaculture industry conference in Nelson which begins today.

The Government is using the conference to officially launch the aquaculture unit which will be its lead advisory agency on the sector.

Speaking during the first reading of the Aquaculture Amendment Bill (No 3) yesterday, Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley said the legislation would reform aquaculture law and provide an efficient framework "that enables marine-based aquaculture to fulfil its economic potential".

The Government saw aquaculture as a key part of its economic growth agenda and the industry is targeting growth in export sales from $380 million to $1 billion by 2025.

The bill comprises amendments to four separate acts, including the Resource Management Act and the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004, and will bring all existing farms and outstanding applications for farms under a new regime.

"There is a need to simplify and streamline the processes and to provide a kick-start to industry growth after years of frustrated opportunity and potential," said Heatley.

Chief executive of Aquaculture New Zealand Mike Burrell said the bill was critical for the industry.

"Since 2004 when the original act came into play we haven't seen a single application for new space," he said.

"The reason for that was that it was so unwieldy and complicated and expensive and time-consuming that nobody could see a way through to actually being able to establish a marine farm under it."

Aquaculture would still be controlled by government and councils but they would be able to process applications more efficiently.

Environmental control would remain through the resource consent process, with processes for the public to have a say.

"None of that will be short-cutted but what it means is that instead of an application taking five, 10, in some cases it's been as long as 12 years to do, it will take hopefully under a year or maybe two years."

However, Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei yesterday said the bill's lack of environmental protections was one of the reasons - with the removal of decision-making rights from local communities - that it would not support the legislation.

Labour MP Parekura Horomia said his party would support the legislation to the select committee stage. However, it had concerns.

"It gives the minister some huge powers and we've got to assure ourselves that those powers are used properly."

Dan Lees, the director of the new aquaculture unit, also said the main issue that had stalled aquaculture since 2004 was difficulties with existing law.

Lees' unit will be the Government's principal adviser on marine and land-based aquaculture.

Its duties include implementing law around aquaculture and producing a national strategy and action plan to co-ordinate the numerous government departments which will be involved in regulating the sector.

The aquaculture industry's third conference is expected to draw about 250 to 300 delegates.

Topics include law, research and development, and opportunities in China. The mood at the conference would be buoyant after a tough 18 months, Burrell said.

"I think the future's looking really bright."