Firm attacks DoC ban on exporting carp

An Auckland company is accusing the Department of Conservation of "environmental vandalism" for blocking plans for a commercial venture it claims will rid waterways of noxious koi carp.

However, DoC says the proposal could make the problem worse.

New Zealand Waterways Restoration director Gray Jamieson said his company had been battling DoC for two years for approval to capture koi carp and export them.

"Koi carp are destroying our native habitat and are multiplying by the millions each year," he said.

Urgent action was needed to avoid the same situation as in Australia, where it was estimated the pest was responsible for between A$100 million and A$500 million ($110 to $549 million) in environmental and economic damage each year, Mr Jamieson said.

"DoC's inability to successfully eradicate this pest from New Zealand waters, despite getting millions of dollars each year for it and continually rejecting our plans to remove and export koi carp, is nothing short of environmental vandalism."

Mr Jamieson said New Zealand Waterways Restoration originally became involved after DoC confirmed its support for the project. The company had since "perfected and patented new harvesting techniques".

While most of the carp would be destroyed and sold as petfood, some larger valuable ones would be marketed in Europe and Asia, where koi are prized ornamental fish.

The Ministry of Fisheries had granted the company a special permit to allow it to develop its proposal, and the company had already spent more than $100,000 on equipment, legal advice, applying for various permits and applications.

"We believe DoC are philosophically opposed to people making money out this despite the fact that the department should be going out of its way to help us do their job at no cost to the taxpayer."

Mr Jamieson said bureaucratic delays and associated costs were "extremely frustrating".

In Australia, the company's agents had received "tremendous political and bureaucratic support" and a grant of A$88,000 ($96,640) to help develop the export market in Europe for New Zealand koi, he said.

However, Auckland conservator Sean Goddard said the proposal was declined because DoC considered it posed serious biosecurity risks, which far outweighed any potential conservation benefit.

"Just taking some live koi out of the lakes and waterways is not going to eradicate koi, and in fact could result in the spread of the pest to other areas outside the containment area," he said.

DoC had previously given permission to commercial ventures to kill koi carp, but the risk posed by live exports was too great.

Complete eradication was "not feasible", Mr Goddard said.

New Zealand Waterways Restoration has now taken its case to the High Court for a decision on whether it needs DoC's clearance at all.

Meanwhile, DoC has agreed not to take legal action against the company for continuing to keep koi carp at its Warkworth fish farm and is working with it to ensure there is no risk to the environment.

- NZPA