Last Friday Marlborough District Council publicly notified decisions on Variations 1 and 1A to the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan (PMEP). The variations were prepared for the purpose of managing marine farming activity in Marlborough’s coastal marine environment, with Variation 1 applying to marine farming other than finfish and 1A to finfish farming only. The variations complete the content of the PMEP.

Variations 1 and 1A were publicly notified in December 2020 with 115 submissions received. A hearings panel was appointed to consider matters raised in submission.

Councillor Gerald Hope, Chair of the Council’s Environment and Planning Committee, said:

“I’d like to thank the Hearings Panel for their efforts in progressing what has been a major undertaking determining the appropriateness of nearly 600 marine farm locations.”

“The panel took their task very seriously and applied appropriate rigour to the process, assisted by the evidence provided by submitters.”

“I also want to thank all the submitters who contributed to this process. The Sounds coastal environment and our marine farming industries are both very important to Marlborough.”

There were contrasting outcomes for each of the variations.

Variation 1 was confirmed but with amendments to address matters raised in submission. The provisions seek to provide certainty of tenure for existing marine farms, while recognising that there are environmental limits to growth in marine farming within the enclosed waters of the Marlborough Sounds. Areas appropriate for marine farming are identified as Aquaculture Management Areas (AMAs) and most existing marine farms are provided for within these AMAs.

The Variation 1 provisions also provide for innovation on existing marine farms by enabling changes in farmed species and farm structures.

Variation 1A was influenced by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ proposal to amend provisions of the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan to relocate salmon farms in the Sounds. Submissions highlighted inadequate consultation with the provisions of Variation 1A not adequately providing for current and future technological changes. Environmental changes including rising sea temperatures were cited as creating challenges for finfish farming in the Sounds.

At last Thursday’s Council meeting the decision was made to withdraw Variation 1A.

The hearings panel said provisions for managing finfish farming in Marlborough’s coastal marine area were still needed and recommended a further process to enable the development of these involving the use of a working group consisting of Marlborough’s Tangata Whenua Iwi and key stakeholders.

The options for progressing PMEP provisions for the management of finfish farming will now be reported to the Environment and Planning Committee.

Decisions on the variations are available on the Council website at www.marlborough.govt.nz or can be viewed at Council’s offices and libraries in Blenheim and Picton.

Anyone who has previously submitted may appeal the Council’s decision to the Environment Court.

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