26 Sep 2012

Trust members divided on salmon farm expansion

6:58 am on 26 September 2012

A large iwi group in the Marlborough Sounds is maintaining support for a major salmon farm development despite disapproval from a faction of its members.

New Zealand King Salmon wants to expand by building nine more farms in addition to its five existing operations.

Te Atiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust member Rita Powick says most members do not approve the continued support of the expansion.

Five of the eight iwi in the region support the application which is before an Environmental Protection Authority hearing.

Ms Powick says about 40 members were at a last weekend and were disappointed in the trust's stance, which she says is based on commercial interests in the salmon farms.

Even if the farms are not approved, some iwi members will not be comfortable knowing Te Atiawa supported the proposal, she says.