Comment on Mari-culture Lease ~ John Gordon

The principles of the Islands Trust are to 'preserve and maintain' the Area under jurisdiction. The development of the Thetis side of the 'cut' to mariculture certainly does not fulfill these fundamental principles.

IF there was some benefit to Thetis Islanders by such development, then it might be considered  by the residents of Thetis, however, I see no indication of there being any benefit only potential negatives to Thetis.  

In my view, the fact that it is potentially a Penelakut organisation that wants the licence does not give me much confidence in the potential operation as illustrated by the 'harvesting' by persons from Penelakut, of almost all the oysters along the foreshore of the Thetis side of Telegraph Harbour over the last two winters.

In summary, I am against the proposal.

John Gordon