An agreement in principle has been reached for the sale of the Glenariffe Salmon Hatchery currently owned by NIWA, to Rakaia Salmon Limited. The new company wishes to raise salmon for the market by using the hatchery raceways. Initial concerns by environmental groups over potential capture of young salmon for the farm from the Rakaia River will not be an issue.

29 April 1999

The Chief Executive of NIWA (the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited), Mr Paul Hargreaves, said today that agreements for the sale of the hatchery to Rakaia Salmon Ltd provided for the farm to buy smolt under contract from NIWA.

"This means there is no need for the company to look to either Glenariffe Stream or the Rakaia River for smolt to replenish its farm or to release young salmon into the stream or river as potential future harvest stock," he said. "NIWA will supply Rakaia Salmon with smolt from its Silverstream Hatchery on the Waimakariri River."

Mr Hargreaves said NIWA intends to run the salmon traps in the Glenariffe Stream as part of a long-term environmental monitoring programme. Supervision of the traps would provide sufficient information for NIWA’s environmental research requirements. Rakaia Salmon have expressed a willingness to assist NIWA if needed but will not be using the traps for any of their farming activities.

The principal shareholders of Rakaia Salmon are Mr Tony Huston, a New Plymouth-based businessman, and Mr Roydon Hartstone, a Raglan-based fishing company manager.

Mr Hargreaves said NIWA had operated Glenariffe as a hatchery since acquiring the facility in 1992 as part of the restructuring of Crown assets.

Final agreements covering the sale are near to completion.