The Department of Conservation has denied accusations made about it by Ngāi Tahu Seafoods Ltd during the company’s application process for a planned salmon farm. Ngāi Tahu Seafoods Ltd had launched a blistering attack on Doc in its fast-track process to gain consent for a giant salmon farm off Foveaux Strait. The fast-track process was at the stage of gathering comments. Ngāi Tahu had said it had found Doc the worst stakeholder to deal with during the application and had no confidence the department could perform the certification role it wanted for the farm. The applicant said it had some positive interactions with Doc, but the engagement was also characterised by delays in responding because of expert unavailability and unexpected twists and turns as different personnel contributed their input. Panel chairman Dr Bal Matheson KC said given the fulsome nature of the applicant’s response, the panel wished to ensure any matters the director-general of Doc wished to raise were before the panel. “The panel wishes to make clear, however, that it does not intend to place any weight on those parts of the Applicant’s submissions that refer to delay by staff within the Doc, or more generally how Doc staff have undertaken or might undertake any certification process in future,’’ he said in a noted minute. “It would not be appropriate to place weight on those submissions without hearing directly from witnesses.” Doc had sought a change in the conditions in which it would also be part of the certification around shark and sea bird management plans. This change was opposed by Ngāi Tahu Seafoods Ltd. Doc fast-track applications manager Linda Kirk said in the agency’s reply, that Doc denied the accusations made by the applicant around why it wanted a certification role. The accusations said Doc did not consider Environment Southland to be competent to certify the management plans, or Doc wished to retain the ability to argue that the plans should address matters other than those set out in conditions. Ms Kirk said the requirement for separate approvals under the Resource Management Act and the Wildlife Act reflected the distinct functions and purpose of each of these and should be managed by the relevant regulator. Other fast-track panels had accepted dual certification may be appropriate, with the Southland wind farm an example. The panel would continue weighing up the comments over the conditions with a final decision due by August 10.
