3 June 2007

Resource Consents Manager
Environment Canterbury
P O Box 345
CHRISTCHURCH

Submission on an Application for a Resource Consent

Group No. 552: Meridian Energy – North Bank Tunnel Concept

Submission

Otago Fish & Game Council is opposed to resource consent applications numbers CRC 071903, CRC071139, CRC071096, CRC071878 to take use and discharge water from the lower Waitaki Catchment.

Fish and Game wishes to be heard in support of this submission.

Reasons for the Submission

Fish and Game is opposed to the granting of these consents because:

• There is a recently approved regional water plan for the Waitaki Catchment that was the result of an extensive public consultation and hearings process.

• The resultant plan – the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan – sets minimum flows, flow sharing arrangements and caps on irrigation, (amongst other things) in order to protect the outstanding trout and salmon fisheries, recreational amenity values, wildlife and fisheries values generally, and more broadly the natural character of the lower Waitaki River as a big braided river..

• The lower Waitaki River and its tributaries contain nationally important sports fisheries for both sea run salmon and for trout (brown and rainbow). It provides a unique ‘big river’ setting for recreational use which is unlike any other East coast, South Island braided river.

• Reductions in minimum flows from those set in the plan will undermine the integrity of the plan and directly affect the river’s natural values. There will be indirect adverse effects as well through a reduction in the flowing water available in-river to dilute nutrient enriched irrigation returns, thus compounding lower river water quality problems.

• The impact of the NBTC proposal on the proliferation and control of didymo in the reach of the river between Waitaki Dam and Black Point is not known.
• Wetlands and associated riparian habitat are linked to the main stem river flow. These habitats may be degraded in terms of both quality and quantity, as a result of the reduction of flow in the reach.
• There is no provision for screening sportsfish from the intake in Lake Waitaki.

Outcome Sought

Fish and Game requests that Environment Canterbury decline the consents.

Yours faithfully

Niall Watson

Chief Executive