Mussel farm granted permission to expand despite neighbours’ opposition

NEW ZEALAND
Wednesday, July 17, 2019, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

A marine farm in the Marlborough Sounds has been granted permission to expand, despite neighbours saying the area will not cope. Allan Tester and Stephen Cross applied to extend their 7.29 hectare longline farm at Deep Bight, Te Whanganui/Port Underwood, by adding another 1.265ha. The farm grows green and blue shell mussels, scallops, dredge oysters, seaweed and algae, and the extension would add 60 tonnes of mussels per year, and create one job. Tester and Cross said the farm contributed to the economy, and was a sustainable and efficient form of protein production, their application said. Tester, who had been involved in the aquaculture industry since 1982, said the bay was a "working environment" and a good place for marine farms.        Location of subject site in Deep Bight  Experienced sea captain David Walker sa... FULL STORY