Council steps up war on sewage discharges

By TONY GEE

The Northland Regional Council is to make stringent checks on boats in the Waikare Inlet area of the Bay of Islands to solve pollution problems threatening the oyster farm industry.

At least 18 oyster farms in the inlet have been banned from harvesting their shellfish since last year because of concerns over a virus linked to outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Auckland restaurants last August.

Regional council chief executive Warren MacLennan said dumping of sewage from boats in the Waikare Inlet area had been identified as a possible source of contamination.

Mr MacLennan said the council had agreed to "the most rigorous boat sewage control regime" in any marine farming area in the country.

As well as more frequent boat patrols, it is granting $7600 to the Waikare Inlet Taiapure Committee to help it monitor water quality and investigate wild shellfish populations.

A report this week by the Northland District Health Board said Waikare Inlet oysters could be harvested only if the regional and Far North District Councils stopped discharge from boats, septic tank runoff and overflows from the Kawakawa sewage plant.

Nearly $15 million of oysters in the closed Waikare farms will have to be dumped within two months if no solution is found.

nzherald.co.nz/environment