Weighing the risks of salmon farming [New Zealand]

Marlborough Express
May 7, 2012

Where are we and what do we know? A recent study by the Department of Conservation and the Marlborough District Council found 129 ecologically significant marine sites in the Marlborough Sounds. Many of them are already degraded. The same report advised a reduction in the amounts of contaminants reaching the marine environment.

The Marlborough regional policy statement does not promote the free release of waste in our waterways, such as from concentrated finfish farming.

King Salmon has only surveyed bottom substrates which amounts to 15 per cent of the waste, not the wider environmental impacts in which the other 85 per cent of their waste is released.

In 2009, the highest level of organic pollution at any of the NZKS farms was recorded under the Waihinau operation in the Pelorus Sound (Cawthron report 1740). Also zinc and copper were at levels above or near the highest set criteria (Cawthron report).

King Salmon does not monitor the release of nitrogen in the Marlborough Sounds. Increases of nitrogen can create a shift in plankton communities and plankton biomass. This process can push the environment in a cycle of harmful algal blooms miles from the farm site.

We do not know how much King Salmon has already pushed the functionality of the environment in this direction because King Salmon has never ordered a report to be done. 

Read the full story in the Marlborough Express.

Read related stories:

• Nelson Mail; May 3, 2012; "Major PR push for salmon farming"
  
• Marlborough Express; May 3, 2012; "Rush of salmon submissions"
  
• FIS; April 30, 2012; "Hundreds of submissions on King Salmon's expansion plans"
  
• Marlborough Express; April 30, 2012; "200 submit over salmon"
  
• Marlborough Express; April 25, 2012; "Sounds group taking action on comments"
  
• The Fish Site; April 24, 2012; "Council Objects to NZ King Salmon Expansion"
• Marlborough Express; April 12, 2012; "Salmon ruling 'unanimous'"
  
• Nelson Mail; April 12, 2012; "King Salmon 'astonished' at opposition"
  
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• Marlborough Express; April 12, 2012; "King Salmon warned over new-farms move"
• Scoop; April 12, 2012; "Majority support for salmon company’s plans"