The Aramoana Conservation Group told Dunedin city councillors at the public forum yesterday it could not support the Aramoana League's project to reuse and upgrade the wharf unless specific protections for wildlife and plant life in the area were in place.
The council discovered only recently it owned the wharf at the end of the spit, which has not been maintained in 10 years.
The wharf was scheduled for demolition, but that was put on hold while a local group investigated designs and costs for renewing it and how it could raise the money to do that.
But it seems some Aramoana people are concerned about how the project would affect the spit, which is part of an ecological reserve.
Bradley Curnow told councillors the Aramoana Conservation Group was not against the upgrade and a few people using the wharf to fish off, but wanted controls on eco-tourism operating from the wharf.
He said groups of tourists wanting to interact with the animals would probably scare away the endangered New Zealand sea lions that lived at the spit.
Improving vehicle access to the wharf could encourage more people to drive on the salt marshes, which was already an issue.
He said the group was willing to fight strongly on the issue.
''We're going to absolutely stick up for the sea lions and all the other animals and plants.''
Cr Andrew Noone, the ward councillor for the area, said the Aramoana League was yet to report back to the council, but he was keeping abreast of developments and the league was planning to meet the Department of Conservation. Mr Curnow told Cr Noone if the league and Doc came up with a proposal that satisfied the group's concerns, it would not mind the project going ahead.
