Ngāi Tahu Seafood Resources Ltd had applied under Fast-Track Approval Act legislation for the Hananui Aquaculture Project.
The project was to produce salmon within four marine farms. Each of the four farms would consist of two blocks of 10 net pens with associated mooring and anchoring systems. The two blocks within each farm would be about 300m apart.
At full production, the pens and feed barges would occupy about 100ha of coastal space, less than 8% of the proposed site.
In the application, it was said the project would contribute about $500m in annual gross revenue, representing a 150%-200% increase over current national salmon farming export revenues.
Market Economics Ltd said in terms of the income from jobs, the total economic activity would return up to $841m to households, of which $386m would be to households in Southland. Up to 480 jobs would be created once the farm was constructed.
The proposed site of about 1300ha was located about 2km off the northern coast of Stewart Island, 13km northwest of Oban. The farms would take up less than 10% of the proposed site.
In the latest minute on the proposal, panel convener Jane Borthwick said the resource management approvals for the project was of a moderate to high level of complexity and the receiving environment was complex.
The panel would make two decisions — one an aquaculture decision and the other will be the substantive decision. The two decisions would be made at the same time.
Aquaculture decisions are traditionally made by the chief executive of the Ministry of Primary Industries.
Ms Borthwick said in a note, an aquaculture decision determined whether the aquaculture activities authorised by the coastal permit application would have an ‘‘undue adverse effect on fishing’’.
‘‘It was an important decision because the coastal permit, if granted, may displace fishing occurring in an area and adversely affect the fishery or fishers.
For applications in the fast-track process, the chief executive of MPI makes a recommendation to the panel which decides the matter, she said.
The panel convener has decided the timeframe of the procedure of 70 working days is appropriate.
The scale and significance of the project and its complex receiving environment and consideration of the extensive reports from a range of scientific and technical disciplines led to the lengthy time period.
While the Department of Conservation (Doc) and the applicant had largely agreed upon conditions, Doc cautioned there was significant uncertainty around the scale of potential impacts warranting careful attention to all components of the application.
If approved, this will be one of two open ocean salmon farms approved in New Zealand’s territorial waters. The other salmon farm, Blue Endeavour, is yet to be constructed, the minute said.
‘‘Uncertainty arises from the fact that this is a novel activity,’’ the panel convener said.
The application decision would be due on August 10.
The panel consists of Bal Matheson KC (chairman), Dr Ngaire Phillips and Stephen Daysh.
Mr Matheson is a resource management specialist barrister from Auckland. Dr Phillips is a registered RMA independent commissioner and is also an experienced environmental scientist.
Mr Daysh is the local authority nominee and has a planning background.
