April 10, 2008

Canterbury receives aquaculture funding from central Government

Environment Canterbury welcomes the announcement that more than $98,000 in funding has been approved from central government for Canterbury aquaculture initiatives.

The funding will assist in the first steps of a process to establish new aquaculture management areas. Work will be focused on developing details on how applications for new space will be managed.

"Canterbury will be conducting the initial steps in a national pilot of the privately initiated plan change process,” said ECan coastal committee chairman Cr David Sutherland. “The first step is to meet with the advisory group established to discuss the opportunity the funding presents. Environment Canterbury will be sharing the results of the experience gained as a result of this initiative with regional councils throughout New Zealand, industry and other interested parties.”

The funding received has been obtained from the Aquaculture Planning Fund, a contestable fund established by central government in 2007 to assist councils in development of sustainable aquaculture in their regions.

The fund was established with the aim of achieving: development of new aquaculture space in five regions of New Zealand; enhanced use of existing space in three regions of New Zealand; and utilising opportunities for leverage (significant financial or other commitment from the stakeholders in those regions and development of practices which are nationally applicable).

ENDS

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