Council extends mussell farm deadline

A Maori trust allegedly running an illegal mussel farm in Northland has been given another two weeks to remove the operation.

Te Au O Morunga Marine Farm Trust has set up the mussel farm at Whangaruru, about 55km northeast of Whangarei, without resource consent.

The farm sparked a petition from Whangaruru residents concerned about the business.

The trust claims the farm is a Treaty of Waitangi issue and not covered by the Government's moratorium on new aquaculture ventures.

This month, the Northland Regional Council gave the trust two weeks to remove the structures and later extended the deadline to yesterday.

Following a meeting between council staff and representatives of the trust yesterday the deadline was extended to July 8.