NRC Chair appointed to aquaculture advisory group

Northland Regional Council Chairman Mark Farnsworth has been appointed to a new seven-member Government Aquaculture Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

The group has been appointed to provide independent, expert input to the aquaculture reform process and its membership was announced today by Fisheries Minister (and Whangarei MP) Phil Heatley and Environment Minister Nick Smith.
Encouraging aquaculture development is an important part of the government’s economic programme and Mr Farnsworth says he is pleased he will be able to offer a Northland perspective to the issue.

Mr Farnsworth joins Iwi Development/Resource Management Consultant Keir Volkerling, a fellow Northlander, on the group, which is to be chaired by former Fisheries Minister Doug Kidd.
In a media release on the TAG’s appointment, Dr Smith says aquaculture reform is part of Phase II of the Government’s wider Resource Management Act reform programme.

“The RMA is not working for the aquaculture industry. The changes made by the previous Government have stalled the industry and need to be revisited. Resource law in the coastal environment is complex and that is why extra export support is needed to find a durable solution,” Dr Smith says.

The Aquaculture TAG will provide a report to Ministers by 30 September on proposals for aquaculture reform. The Ministers will report back to Cabinet by the end of November with recommendations for improving the aquaculture regime and a bill will be introduced to Parliament as soon as possible after that.
The members of the TAG are Messrs Kidd, Farnsworth and Volkerling, Tasman District Council Environment and Planning Manager Dennis Bush-King, Aquaculture New Zealand Chief Executive Mike Burrell, Te Ohu Kaimoana Manager of Fisheries Policy and Development Kirsty Woods and New Zealand Seafood Industry Council Policy Manager Nici Gibbs.