MEDIA RELEASE

Local Government New Zealand welcomes Government support for aquaculture development

For immediate release on 7 December 2006

The $2.9million the Government has allocated for aquaculture development will assist councils with planning and developing new aquaculture areas in their regions.

Local Government New Zealand President, Basil Morrison, says the funding, $2million of which will be available through a contestable fund for councils over the next five years, will go some way to assisting regional councils to undertake the extensive research and planning associated with establishing new aquaculture management areas and sustainably managing existing marine farms.

The fund will be of particular interest to those councils in coastal areas that already have strong interest for development from the aquaculture industry.

“The Resource Management Act aquaculture provisions are complex and it will take considerable resources and time for regional councils to complete the resource management planning necessary to establish new aquaculture management areas. We are pleased that the Government recognises this and has made funding available to help reduce the costs associated with the implementation of this legislation.”

The remaining $900,000 has been allocated to Northland, Auckland, and Waikato to help implement projects to improve the use of existing aquaculture space.

ENDS

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