Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton sends a message to the ARC over its proposed ban on aquaculture across the entire Auckland region. He said that the proposed ARC plan won’t allow aquaculture anywhere on the entire Auckland coastline. And this is certainly not good news for aquaculture industry, says Anderton.
According to Jim Anderton getting the location for aquaculture right is very important. But a blunt ban on aquaculture anywhere is unjustified. He added that those of us who have spent many enjoyable years on the Auckland coast, in places like the Firth of Thames, know that there are opportunities for well managed aquaculture development.
Anderton admit that he recognise popular sailing areas in the Hauraki Gulf or right in front of suburban housing are not appropriate places for aquaculture development. At the same time it is simply not true that there is nowhere along the Auckland region’s coastline where appropriate aquaculture development could be placed. There is no doubt that the aquaculture businesses in Auckland has provided jobs and earn export dollars for New Zealand, told Anderton.
Anderton thinks that Auckland will enter the ARC’s consultation process with a view to considering the benefits that well-located aquaculture could bring. He also said that global demand for seafood is rising very quickly, and if we are not going to empty out our oceans, rising demand needs to be met from clean and sustainable aquaculture.
