Salmon farming centre belonging to High Country Salmon. (Photo: High Country Salmon)
Salmon farm losses over USD 100,000 due to vandalism
NEW ZEALAND
Monday, May 22, 2017, 22:40 (GMT + 9)
New Zealander Police are investigating the illegal release of 6,000 salmon from a farming centre near Twizel, into the Ohau Canal of the Southern Island.
According to members of the police force involved in the investigations of the escape from a farm belonging to the firm High Country Salmon, such an incident is a "malicious act" as it is clear to them whoever released the salmon did it "on purpose".
Farm manager John Jamieson estimates the release would cost the business NZD 150,000 (USD 103,817), stating the salmon were not insured.
Jamieson also stressed that a lot of time and effort had gone into breeding the salmon, which had been on the farm since October.
The salmon would have been harvested early next year, when they were about 3 kilograms each.
The entrepreneur said it was "unlikely" High Country Salmon would see the salmon again as a condition of their fish farming licence meant once fish were released into the canal they were owned by Fish and Game.
For his part, Central South Island Fish and Game chief executive Jay Graybill said once fish were released into "natural water" they were under the regulation of the department.
The executive labelled the incident "a senseless act of vandalism and Fish and Game cannot condone it in any way, shape or form".
Graybill warned anglers the released fish "were on average about 15cm long, undersized and a breach of the fishing regulations," as the regulation size of salmon was a minimum of 30 cm in length.
"We will be actively ranging the canals and anyone found with undersized salmon will be issued with an infringement notice, which carried a maximum fine of NZD 5000 (USD 3,460),” he said.
On the other hand, the farm’s manager stressed that the loss of trust hurt more than the financial loss, and the farm had reviewed its open-gate policy.
"It's a shame because we've always been very proud of our farm and we think it's such a shame to put a gate up and have all those deterrents when we live in such an honest, nice, small community," Jamieson concluded.
The manager informed that surveillance cameras have since been installed and there are plans to fence off public access to the farm.
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