There are claims the Malborough Sounds will be ruined by four new salmon farms given the go-ahead by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Approval was granted, despite opposition from individuals and groups including Forest and Bird, the Department of Conservation and the Marlborough District Council.
An 11,000-signature petition was presented to Parliament by environmental campaigner Leona Plaisier, whose family runs the Tui Nature Reserve in the outer Pelorous Sound.
"To have these farms coming in right in front of you, when tourism is the only thing that supplies us any kind of income, we're really worried that tourists are not going to want to come if they see marine farming and industrialisation all around them."
Ms Plaisier says New Zealand's clean-and-green image is under threat.
RadioLIVE
source: newshub archive
