Application 124771 - Ministry of Fisheries

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CAWTHRON INSTITUTE | REPORT NO. 2134 MAY 2012 2. AREA AQUACULTURE HISTORY The eastern Hauraki Gulf was one of the first areas in New Zealand to have long-line mussel farms. From the early 1980s, the number of inshore mussel farms along the Coromandel Peninsula have increased to over fifty farms that currently cover an area of approximately 250 ha. Most of these farms are located in a narrow coastal strip around the Coromandel Peninsula, with the main regions at Coromandel and Manaia Harbours. These areas offer sheltered waters, accessibility, favourable climate and good growing conditions for mussel farming. In 1999, a 1210 ha zone of mussel farms was set up offshore from Wilson Bay, bringing the total area of marine farms to 1500 ha (including intertidal oyster farms). The Waikato region now produces about 20% (c. 21,000 tonnes) of New Zealand’s green-lipped mussels, Perna canaliculus. 3
MAY 2012 REPORT NO. 2134 | CAWTHRON INSTITUTE 3. BACKGROUND TO SEABED AND WATER COLUMN EFFECTS 4 The ecological effects from farming mussels and other filter-feeding bivalves on the benthic and wider environment have recently been reviewed in a New Zealand context (Figure 2, Keeley et al. 2010). Below we provide a summary of the effects of mussel farms on the seabed and water column, taken from Keeley et al. 2010 (with minor changes). Figure 2. Summary of potential wider ecological effects, localised benthic effects, and water column effects of mussel farming on the environment (from Keeley et al. 2010). 3.1. Seabed effects The main ecological effects on the seabed from farming mussels and other filterfeeding bivalves arise from biodeposits (Giles et al. 2006) and drop-off of mussels, shell and associated biota (Wong & O’Shea 2011). In most instances, the severity of seabed effects have been assessed as low to moderate (Keeley et al. 2010). The effects exhibit as minor enrichment of the seabed sediments (organic content increases of up to ~7.5%) (Hartstein & Stevens 2005), increased build-up of shell litter directly beneath the site and, in some instances, increased aggregations of seastars and other epifauna taxa (Kaspar et al. 1985). Sediment enrichment, in-turn, affects the composition of sediment dwelling biota with productivity generally enhanced (i.e. some smaller species, like polychaete worms, become more prolific). Changes to the surface dwelling biota (e.g. seastars) have been documented but are difficult to quantify and vary significantly between sites (Kaspar et al. 1985). Seabed effects are most pronounced directly beneath farm sites, reduce rapidly with distance, and are
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To: Waikato Regional Council Privat
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Contents 2 Contents ...............
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4 marine farm (which expires on 1 J
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6 2011) identified that the aquacul
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8 Goodwin E, 2012. Assessment of Be
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10 4.5.8 The capacity of the wharf
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12 in Appendix 1 and designed in ac
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7. Relevant Planning Provisions 14
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16 the applicant is a member of the
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7.18 Policy 6.1.3 - (Integrated Man
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Appendix 1: Survey plan showing loc
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REPORT NO. 2167 COROMANDEL MUSSEL F
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Application 124771 - Ministry of Fisheries

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