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Finfish NEXT BIG THING in aquaculture? A quaculture legislation that took effect on October 1, 2011 has created a 300ha zone for fi nfi sh farming in a well-used area where boaties, fi shermen, whales and dolphins transit and fi sh between Waiheke Island and Coromandel Harbour. A smaller zone in the Firth of Thames could also be used a halfway house for juveniles between tanks and the open sea farm. NIWA have been investigating the viability of fi nfi sh aquaculture in the Hauraki Gulf and have successfully raised commercial quantities of kingfi sh and hapuku and fi ngerlings in Bream Bay. It is envisaged that the fi sh produced will be a quality niche product aimed at the high end of the price market, and they are now testing cages for the Hauraki Gulf. Resource consent applications are now possible wherever marine farming is not explicitly prohibited in council coastal plans, and the Minister of Primary Industries has the power to intervene in council plans to allow marine farming in areas applied for by aquaculturalists. Applications covering nearly 5000ha for mussel spat catching lines in the western Firth of Thames have been on hold since the 2002-04 moratorium. These applications are seen as "placeholders" for fully-fl edged mussel farms, drawing strong opposition from coastal communities and environmentalists. The Auckland Council and the Waikato Regional Council share responsibilities for the gulf and social and economic benefi ts must be taken into account as they develop plans in the next three years. Both councils currently prohibit marine farming outside existing designated areas. The senior coastal policy advisor for the Waikato council, Graeme Silver, says the spatial plan will probably change to protecting specifi c areas while other areas are opened up for marine farming. More mussel farms are possible in and around Fitzroy Harbour on Great Barrier Island where they may pose a navigation hazard and reduce anchorages for vessels in storms. 20 percent of all new aquaculture space is reserved for iwi under a Waitangi Tribunal ruling. Commenting on the proposal for a site about 20km off Coromandel township, NIWA strategy general manager Bryce Cooper says farming will be extensive, with 10ha of nets in the 300ha area keeping age groups separated and minimising ecological impacts. In a report commissioned by the Waikato Regional Council, coastal scientist Dr Shane Kelly identifi ed a range of risks to the Firth of Thames from fi nfi sh farming. He points out that the fi rth is a fragile ecosystem because of nitrate- laden sediment runoff from Hauraki Plains dairy farms. He identifi ed cage farming issues from overseas experience that will need to be comprehensively addressed, such as farms becoming incubators for disease and parasites which spread to wild populations, as happened with salmon and sea lice. Kingfi sh also have naturally occurring parasites which may become a problem during confi nement. Other issues are the use of chemicals and environmental degradation as the chemicals used are spread by waves and currents. Reliance on wild fi sh for feed (18,000 tonnes of wild fi sh would be needed to produce 5000 tonnes of farmed fi sh), and the potential genetic impact on wild populations Finfish sea cages could out produce shellfish lines BY SANDRA GORTER from escapes, are all issues of concern. Another problem identifi ed is organic loading of the seafl oor, as happens with New Zealand salmon farms, where the seafl oor becomes devoid of life and emits gases with adverse effects on plant life and fi sh. Concern about additional nutrient loadings from fi nfi sh farming prompted planners to move the main zone north of the fi rth to deeper water, where cages will be more vulnerable to storm damage. Coastguard Nowcasting project manager Kevin O'Sullivan says the boating industry is worth far more to the region and the country than marine farming, due signifi cantly to the gulf's unspoilt nature and scenery. "Auckland is a major city with a cruising ground on its doorstep – but that's only because there's somewhere to anchor when you get there," said O'Sullivan. A Yachting New Zealand position paper on the new regime warns some traditional sailing grounds could be lost and notes small clubs will be hard-pressed to fi ght consent applications and plan changes. The chair of Aquaculture New Zealand, Peter Vitasovich, says there is the potential for aquaculture to grow, but emphasises there are years of legal hurdles still to be covered. He is concerned that the Waikato Regional Council is moving too quickly in calling tenders for the fi nfi sh space. "Maybe they can see money. The industry is very concerned about the allocation process." Groups such as the Environmental Defence Society are also keeping a close eye on plans for fi nfi sh farming. Senior policy analyst Raewyn Peart says the gulf is an already degraded ecosystem and that fi nfi sh farming could be "an added pressure on a system that really needs to be restored. Everyone is looking for a slice of the pie and decision- making has been ad hoc. We need to get past that patch- protection and recognise that everyone is dependent on having a healthy productive regime – or there won't be enough fi sh." The Auckland Council's chief planning offi cer Roger Blakeley says the planning process for fi nfi sh farms could take two years and that opponents should be vigilant in the meantime. MAY/JUNE 2012 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ 9