surfbreak on The Spit Aromoana

The Spit, Aromoana Dunedin - is a world class Nationally protected surfing wave and is under threat from continued dumping of dredged spoil from a consent to deepen the Otago Harbour.

Current capacity for dumping of dredged spoil at The Spit site is 200,00 m3 per year, this expires december 2011. Port Otago are applying for a new consent in May this year which was originally going to be for 35 years, but will be only for two years as it has been reccommended more study is required over this 2 years, especially in light of the policy 16 NZCPS protecting The Spit surfbreak.

I argue that if they were granted the 200,000m3 again, that one would assume that they would dump to full capacity in preparation for the super ship contract. This was also the wording in the recent pre hearing report (March 2011), that once consents were granted the inshore sites were to be used (up to 450,000m3 per year) and the remaining spoil to be taken out to the A0 site 6.5 k's out to sea.
.. misleading as most of the spoil will be at the three inshore sites.

Initially, the revised Next Generation Project, Stage One would amount to about 500,000cu m of silt/sand being removed and dumped at sea over each of the next three years.

Subject to the hearing commissioners granting consent, dredging work could begin within months.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• the spit
• aramoana
• surf
• surfbreak
• dredging
• otago regional council
• port otago
• harbour dredging

[justpapersman]

It's disgusting that Dunedin City Council are doing this, they should be ashamed that on one hand they make money from surfers and tourists, and on another they are happy to crap on the best waves. We live in a city that has a Yellow Eyed Penguin beach (that is advertised for tourists !) right nest to a sign that says 'danger - do not collect shellfish - sewage present'. That personifies DCC's attitude - take on one hand, and destroy with the other.