Firth Spat Farm
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: Politics - Have your say
Forum Description: Have your say about the future of recreational fishing, marine reserves etc
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2045
Printed Date: 10 Jun 2026 at 7:47am
Topic: Firth Spat Farm
Posted By: Dead Ant
Subject: Firth Spat Farm
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2003 at 8:12pm
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Dear All, I fish out of Kaiaua quite a bit and have seen some other postings here as well from people who get down that way. I am canvassing for information and how to get more on the proposed spat farm. From the information I've been given the spat farm extends from the existing Mussel farm at Colonel Adams, out to about half way across the Firth, Down the middle of the firth to Wakatewai Point, just North of Kaiaua, then in to the Point. This seems to represent about 1/3 of the Firth! The only reason it doesn't go right across the Firth is that the ARC/Enviroment Waikato boundary is right down the middle! If any knows how to find out more about these things I would really appreciate it. The boat club I'm a member of has a ramp right in the middle of this and it will effectively restrict fishing to mussel farm fishing. Not bad for panny snaps but hopeless for Kings, decent snapper on light gear. Coromandel is only a hop away but this will add at least three miles to the trip from what I can understand and I don't think you'll be allowed to do 30 knots through the farm. I'll post any more information I can get and hopefully a map of the area. Please Help!!!! Cheers Dead Ant |
Replies:
Posted By: Barrie
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2003 at 8:24pm
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DA I will be at Coro in the next few weeks so I will see if the guy that I purchase (yes buy) my mussels from knows anything. IMO the mussel farms are great as they hold snapper all year round and supply a source of food to keep them close. Always be sure of a meal around the farms |
Posted By: Wefaknis
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2003 at 8:47am
This is the first Ive heard about it beeing that big DA, has It been in the local rag??  . The greenis will never let it get that big???. but who knows
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Posted By: TheSnapperWhisperer
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2003 at 9:42am
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Go to the local area office of the local council down there. They should have a plan of the proposed Aquaculture Management Area still, as they have been teh subject of public consultation. Better still, phone them and ask them to fax you something with a plan and explain the situation to you. |
Posted By: Dead Ant
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2003 at 6:31pm
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OK, Thanks for the input so far. I've collected some more info from Ministry of Environment with a study of the effects of Spat farming on the Firth located at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/resource/aquaculture/environmental-info/firth-of-thames-analysis.pdf. This is a huge scientific study but the most relevant bit I found was this segment copied verbatim: "The Hauraki Gulf and Firth of Thames are home to New Zealand�s largest snapper fishery, and the Firth of Thames is the key spawning ground. If shellfish farming were to reduce the abundance of microzooplankton, this may adversely influence the survival of larval snapper (and other species). Similarly, if shellfish are able to filter snapper eggs out of the water-column, this would reduce the number of fish recruiting to the population." Sounds pretty serious to all recreational and commercial fishers who fish anywhere in the Gulf. I also found applications on the ARC website for a combined total of 6356 hectares of spat farm. I had heard (rumour) that these or some of these had been combined into a single farm which I described but I'll try and keep this to facts only. The more I read, the more this scares me. Thanks for the input so far and I'll follow all those leads up. Barrie, any info from the Coromandel side would be interesting. Cheers DA |
Posted By: THEFISHOE
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2008 at 8:35pm
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. ------------- fillet an release ><(((((º> |
Posted By: THEFISHOE
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2008 at 8:35pm
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r ------------- fillet an release ><(((((º> |
Posted By: THEFISHOE
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2008 at 8:36pm
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. ------------- fillet an release ><(((((º> |
Posted By: Dead Ant
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2008 at 9:12pm
| Fishoe - I missed a meeting about this last night. Anyone heard any news? |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2008 at 10:23pm
| Nope... |
Posted By: snapslayer
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2008 at 8:02pm
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any one heard any more about this farm. the sciencetist had a meeting in wellington the other week and couldn't answer any questions on the damage it could do to fish stocks.
It appears the only info they had was computer generated
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