Farmers hit out at 1080 protesters

Federated Farmers says the behaviour of a group of anti-1080 activists who interrupted a poison drop today was irresponsible and unacceptable.

Around 20 protesters blocked an access road to Butlers Block, south of Hokitika, to try and stop the poison drop going ahead this morning, and a smaller group breached a security cordon to reach the operational area.

Police were called about 6.45am and arrested five protesters under the Trespass Act and Biosecurity Act.

Police found nails laid on the access road to the operational area, which punctured the tyres of a police vehicle and a private security vehicle, Greymouth Senior Sergeant Allyson Ealam said.

Federated Farmers game and pest management spokesman Donald Aubrey said the protesters' actions were "absolutely unacceptable" and he was glad the police were called.

"It's very disappointing to see a small group of misinformed individuals try to illegally hinder a successful and necessary operation...

"There's only a handful of extremists opposed to 1080 to this extent and this is normally because they are misinformed about the biology of TB carrying pests, such as possums, or else they've chosen to ignore the available information about the benefits of 1080."

Mr Aubrey said the protesters had recently threatened a Federated Farmers member, and also threatened to poison their stock.

After the delayed poison drop went ahead today, the protesters told Newstalk ZB the poison was deliberately dropped on them.

The wife of one of the protesters, Justine Salter, said it was dangerous and illegal to drop the poison directly on people.

Last month, suspected 1080 pellets were left outside the Department of Conservation's West Coast conservancy office in Hokitika.

They were reportedly put there by anti-1080 protesters.

That protest followed the refusal by West Coast iwi Te Runanga o Makaawhio to give consent for any future 1080 poison operations.

Iwi groups were regarded as "affected parties" and asked to sign their consent to all 1080 operations within their area.

Te Runanga o Makaawhio deputy chairman Terry Scott said the Bruce Bay-based iwi had never been happy with the toxin and the runanga had now ruled it would no longer agree to its use. However, some drops had already been signed off - including the biggest yet, planned for this winter to cover from Hokitika to Whataroa.

- NZPA