Varsity Criticises Delay

By MCCARTHY, Phil

THE Otago University’s internationally recognised Fiordland marine research programmes were in serious jeopardy because of time spent off the water applying for permits, Environment Southland’s consents committee heard yesterday.

The university has applied to Environment Southland for a coastal permit to carry out research activities in the internal waters of Fiordland, using various boats.

Research has been done by the university in Fiordland for more than 40 years, but earlier this year Environment Southland issued an abatement notice. The researchers were told to stop operating until they had a resource consent.

At yesterday’s consent application hearing, Otago University Division of Sciences’ associate dean of research Dr Gary Wilson told the committee that much of the research underpinned the ability to manage the environment.

Research was not done for the sake of it as had been implied by some submissions to the application, he said.

The university’s planning consultant Bruce Halligan said a good proportion of Fiordland marine species research was undertaken on behalf of the Department of Conservation.

Ironically, DOC made a submission on the application with concerns related to the loss of natural character and wilderness values in Fiordland through the effect of boats in the area, and the university’s level of boat-bottlenose dolphin interactions during research.

DOC representative Anke de Jong said some of DOC’s concerns had been settled through altered consent conditions, but it wanted the university to adhere to its yet-to-be announced dolphin protection zones in Doubtful Sound.

When questioned, Ms de Jong confirmed that DOC had sponsored some of the university’s dolphin research in Doubtful Sound and that that research had triggered its bottlenose dolphin threat management plan. The committee reserved its decision.

(c) 2007 Southland Times, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.