Assessment of Environmental Effects White Horse Rock Resource Consent Application THE NEW ZEALAND KING SALMON COMPANY LIMITED PREPARED BY BOFFA MISKELL LIMITED | OCTOBER 2011 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 2.0 Rationale for Proposal ............................................................................................. 4 3.0 The Proposal ............................................................................................................ 5 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Resource Consent .............................................................................................. 5 3.3 Design and Layout ............................................................................................. 7 3.3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Cages, Fences and Netting ................................................................................. 8 3.3.3 Mooring Systems ................................................................................................. 8 3.3.4 The Main Barge ................................................................................................... 9 3.3.5 Lighting ................................................................................................................ 9 3.4 Operation .......................................................................................................... 10 3.4.1 Getting Salmon to the Farms ............................................................................ 10 3.4.2 Growing the Salmon .......................................................................................... 10 3.4.3 Harvesting ......................................................................................................... 13 3.4.4 Vessels .............................................................................................................. 13 3.4.5 Land Based Infrastructure ................................................................................. 14 3.5 Discharges to Coastal Water and to Air ........................................................... 14 3.6 Taking and Use of Coastal Water .................................................................... 15 3.7 Environmental Management ............................................................................ 15 4.0 Site Selection ......................................................................................................... 17 5.0 Description of the Existing Environment ............................................................. 18 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 18 5.2 General Marlborough Sounds Environment ..................................................... 18 5.3 Existing Environment of the Proposed White Horse Rock Farm ...................... 19 5.3.1 Landscape Setting ............................................................................................. 19 5.3.2 Marine Environment .......................................................................................... 20 5.3.3 Summary of Existing Environment of the Proposed White Horse Rock Farm ......................................................................................................... 21 6.0 Assessment of Environmental Effects .................................................................. 24 6.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 24 6.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 24 6.2.1 Economic Effects ............................................................................................... 24 6.2.2 Iwi Cultural Effects ............................................................................................. 25 6.2.3 Effects on the Water Column ............................................................................ 25 6.2.4 Effects on the Seabed ....................................................................................... 26 6.2.5 Effects on Pelagic Fish ...................................................................................... 30 6.2.6 Effects on Marine Mammals .............................................................................. 30 6.2.7 Effects on Seabirds ........................................................................................... 30 6.2.8 Biosecurity Effects ............................................................................................. 31 6.2.9 Effects from Disease Risk ................................................................................. 31 6.2.10 Effects on Terrestrial Ecology ........................................................................... 31 6.2.11 Natural Character, Landscape and Visual Amenity Effects .............................. 31 6.2.12 Noise Effects ..................................................................................................... 32 6.2.13 Effects on Historic Heritage ............................................................................... 34 6.2.14 Effects on Tourism and Recreation ................................................................... 34 6.2.15 Structural Safety ................................................................................................ 35 6.2.16 Effects on Navigation ........................................................................................ 35 6.2.17 Discharges to Coastal Water and Air ................................................................ 36 7.0 Mitigation and Monitoring ................................................................................... 37 8.0 Consultation .......................................................................................................... 45 1.0 INTRODUCTION This resource consent application for a salmon farm at White Horse Rock in Waitata Reach, Outer Pelorus Sound, accompanies separate applications for a plan change and concurrent resource consents lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for eight new salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds (the Sounds). It is intended that this additional application for a salmon farm at the White Horse Rock site be heard together with the applications for the plan change and the other eight resource consents. The New Zealand King Salmon Co. Limited (NZ King Salmon) is New Zealand’s largest salmon producer. The company, and its predecessor companies, have been growing King Salmon in New Zealand since the mid-1980s. NZ King Salmon currently produces approximately 8,900 tonnes of salmon per annum. It proposes to significantly increase its production, in order to meet rapidly increasing export and domestic demand, by developing new salmon farms in the Sounds. This will have substantial direct and flow on effects for the economies of Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman, and nationally, thereby supporting the economic and social wellbeing of the community. Although NZ King Salmon is a very small player on the international salmon scene (0.4% of total global salmon production), its represents more than half of the world’s production of King Salmon (sometimes referred to as Chinook Salmon). Currently, approximately 50% of the salmon produced by NZ King Salmon is exported. It has an annual turnover well in excess of $100 million and currently employs 468 staff. NZ King Salmon has developed into a vertically integrated company, maintaining control of its production from hatchery to marketing and sales of processed product. It operates three hatcheries, eight salmon farms, four processing plants, and associated offices, depots and servicing facilities. The existing salmon farms are all located in the Sounds (Ruakaka Bay, Forsyth Bay, Waihinau, Otanerau, Te Pangu, Clay Point, and two small farms recently purchased in Crail Bay). Two further potential salmon farms have been granted consent by the Council, but are currently under appeal. These are located at White Horse Rock, Waitata Reach1, and Melville Cove, Port Gore. The hatcheries, which supply the salmon farms, are located in Takaka, Tentburn in mid-Canterbury, and Waiau in north-Canterbury. The four factories that process the harvested salmon are located at Tahunanui, Nelson. The company currently has sales and marketing staff based in Auckland, Sydney, San Francisco and Tokyo (with a depot and processing facility also located in Sydney). NZ King Salmon has applied to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for a private plan change to the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan (MSRMP), and associated resource consents for eight more farms in the Sounds at the following locations: Site No. Site Name Location 1 Waitata Waitata Reach, Pelorus Sound 2 Kaitira Waitata Reach, Pelorus Sound 3 Tapipi Waitata Reach, Pelorus Sound 4 Richmond Waitata Reach, Pelorus Sound 5 Papatua Pig Bay, Port Gore 6 Kaitapeha Entrance to Tory Channel from Queen Charlotte Sound 7 Ruaomoko Entrance to Tory Channel from Queen Charlotte Sound 8 Ngamahau Tory Channel 1 An application for a salmon farm at White Horse Rock was granted consent by the Marlborough District Council, but that consent is currently under appeal to the Environment Court.