Seabed Mining South Taranaki Bight 2013 – 14
Latest update 2014
On 8 July Trans-Tasman Resources Limited lodged an appeal with the High Court against the Environmental Protection Authority decision to refuse their marine consent application.
TTR had applied to mine iron sand from the South Taranaki Bight for the next 20 years. No hearing date has been advised. Timings for the appeal will be confirmed by the High Court in Wellington in due course.
Introduction
Trans-Tasman Resources Limited (TTR) has lodged an application with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed for iron sand off the coast of Patea, South Taranaki. The marine consent would allow TTR to mine 65 square kilometres of seabed for 20 years, and extract up to 50 million tonnes of the seabed each year in depths ranging from 19 to 42 metres.
The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) submitted against this application in December 2013. The application has since been re-notified new information has been made available, and subsequent submissions will be accepted until 28 January 2014. The NZSFC is currently developing a supplementary submission.
Relevant information
Click on the right hand image to download the relevant document. Latest documents are at the top of the list.
NZSFC Submission. 2016 process. 
In 2016 Trans-Tasman Resources came back for another bite. This time armed with over 800 pages of information supporting their re-application for a marine consent to mine iron sand off the South Taranaki Bight. The NZ Sport Fishing Council submitted in response. LegaSea worked with coastal group KASM to generate submissions from the public.
EPA update. 1 July 2014
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has advised that Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd has appealed against the EPA decision refusing marine resource consent for sand mining in the South Taranaki Bight. In June the EPA rejected the application on the basis that there were too many uncertainties around the effects of the mining operation. TTR had 15 days to appeal. TTR believe they have strong grounds for appeal. TTR has support from local and overseas investors to continue with the appeal.
Any outcome could have a potential bearing on the application by Chatham Rock Phosphate to mine on the Chatham Rise, on the east coast of New Zealand.
NZSFC Submission. Supplementary submission to the EPA. 28 January 2014
The NZ Sport Fishing Council re-submitted its objection to the marine consent application by Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd to mine iron sand in the South Taranaki Bight. The NZSFC notes our legislation does not enable any discretion for making regulations that breach international conventions and treaties. NZ has international obligations in respect of biodiversity and ecosystem function under UNCLOS that, if ignored, threaten to make regulations made under the EEZ Act ultra vires (beyond power or authority). Worth a read……
New Plymouth SUC Submission. Seabed mining South Taranaki Bight. 27 January 2014
The New Plymouth Sportfishing & Underwater Club oppose the marine resource application made to the Environmental Protection Authority by Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd to mine iron sand in the South Taranaki Bight. There are already many manmade restrictions on recreational use of the area, and there are concerns that any industrial disturbance of the natural environment will be severely disturbing.
Application re-notified. Submission period extended. 20 December 2013
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has re-notified the Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd marine resource application to mine iron sand in the South Taranaki Bight. The submission deadline has been extended from 19 December 2013 until 28 January 2014. All current submissions are valid, but can be amended or replaced by submitters. The application is being re-notified because not all relevant information was made available to earlier submitters. More info is on the EPA website…
NZSFC Submission. Seabed mining South Taranaki Bight. 19 December 2013
The NZ Sport Fishing Council submits the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) must decline the Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd marine resource application to mine iron sand in the South Taranaki Bight. The NZSFC requests a hearing if a panel is convened to consider public submissions on the application.
Application. Seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight. 21 November 2013
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has advertised the Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd marine resource application, to mine iron sand in the South Taranaki Bight. The submission deadline is 19 December 2013. Relevant documents and associated reports, independent assessments and commentary can be downloaded from the EPA website…….
Report. Recreation and Tourism Assessment of Effects. October 2013
This report commissioned by Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd assesses the effects of seabed mining on recreation and tourism in the South Taranki Bight to be mostly minor to moderate. The NZSFC do not agree with this assessment, available from the above link.