Wairau/ Awatere Resource Management Plan • To protect areas of significant vegetation and/ or significant habitats of indigenous fauna; • To protect Maori values; • To protect public health and safety; • To ensure a level of security consistent with the purpose of a resource consent; and • In other exceptional circumstances sufficient to justify the restriction notwithstanding the national importance of maintaining that access. In addition to promoting public access to and along waterways the Council also seeks to promote public access and recreational use of public land resources. For the Wairau/ Awatere planning area this is particularly important to the hills and mountains which make up the high country. Recreational use of public high country land includes peoples involvement in activities such as tramping, hunting, fishing, skiing, mountain biking as well as more passive activities such as sight seeing. The Molesworth and Rainbow Stations are becoming increasingly used and valued for tourism and recreational use. 8.2 Issue Managing activities so that access to and along the coast, lakes, rivers and other public land is maintained at current levels and wherever practicable enhanced. The effects arising from activities and the development of resources can adversely impact on public access and peoples enjoyment of public reserves. Some activities can also limit recreational use of rivers, lakes, the coast and public land. Within the coastal marine area, structures can compromise the right of access. Other activities such as marine farming, while having the potential to bring economic benefits to the district, not only physically impede access over water, but may also have a psychological effect in limiting people’s interest in accessing an area for recreational purposes. The Marlborough Regional Policy Statement advocates that the continued recreational use of marine resources is essential to the continued social wellbeing of the community. It is appropriate that the Council places a high priority on maintaining public access for recreational purposes. 8.3 Objectives and Policies Objective 1 That public access to and along the coastal marine area, lakes and rivers be maintained and enhanced. Policy 1.1 Avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects on public access caused by the erection of structures, works or activities in or alongside lakes and rivers. Policy 1.2 Adverse effects on public access caused by the erection of structures, marine farms, works or activities in or along the coastal marine area should as far as practicable be avoided. Where complete avoidance is not practicable, the adverse effects should be mitigated and provision made for remedying those effects, to the extent practicable. 8 - 2