Response letter regarding contamination events in the Mahurangi River
Mahurangi Harbour, Wikimedia Commons
The Commissioner responded to concerns raised by the Jenny Marcroft, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, regarding wastewater overflows in the Mahurangi River catchment and downstream impacts in the Mahurangi Harbour, which included closure of oyster harvest areas.
This response examines the regulatory framework governing the wastewater network discharges, including the requirements of the wastewater network discharge consent, the regulations which manage risks to human health from collection and processing of shellfish, and the implications for aquaculture activities.
The Commissioner identified opportunities to strengthen aspects of the regulatory framework, including monitoring, reporting and transparency in decision-making related to oyster harvest closures. He acknowledged that infrastructure upgrades to reduce overflows in the Warkworth catchment had commenced before his inquiry began.