Kaipara oyster farms rejected

NEW ZEALAND - A change of heart by the Auckland Regional Council has dashed the hopes of mussel and oyster farmers wanting to set up operations in the clean waters of the Kaipara Harbour.

Maori residents hoping for jobs are also angry at the council's sudden dropping of a change to its coastal plan which promised to let marine farming into the remote southern part of the country's biggest harbour.

Four years ago the council mooted the change - designed to create aquaculture management areas - as the way to control allocation of space to applicants who sought a total of 400ha.

But before any farms had been set up a number of events had served to change the council's mind, said strategy and planning chairman Paul Walbran.

Last month the Environment Court declined consent for a 30ha mussel farm for a proposed management area off Te Kawau Pt, on South Head, because it would ruin the view for walkers.

Source: NZHerald.co.nz