The Government's move to allow more fin fish farming could lead to pollution of coastal waters, says an environmental group.
The Government is to intervene to change the coastal plans of the Tasman and Waikato regions, overturning the current prohibition on fin fish farming.
The Environmental Defence Society says the Government's unilateral change to the plans means there will be no environmental scrutiny or public submission process.
The society, which represents resource management professionals, says fin fish aquaculture has potentially far more impact on the marine environment than shellfish farming.
But a marine farmer says the lifting of the ban on fish farming could lead to a $50-million-a-year bonanaza in Waikato.
Peter Vitasovich says his company wants to produce 4000 tonnes of kingfish a year from several farms in the Firth of Thames.