Marine farming draws council attention

The Northland Regional Council has received more than 300 submissions on its aquaculture legislation, and is now calling for comments on these.

Under new government legislation, marine farms are banned unless they are in an aquaculture management area.

The council has decided to invite private plan changes to set up the areas, so would-be marine farmers will request where they should go.

This potentially allows applications anywhere on Northland's coast, guided by maps and tests.

The council's proposed plan change 4 to the regional coastal plan sets out the legislative framework for this.

But 94 percent of submitters opposed the plan change, some objecting to the process in its entirety because of its gold rush approach.