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123: Duration of consent
or “This law explains how long different types of permissions last when you're allowed to do something special with land or water.”
You could also call this:

“A coastal permit for fish farming must say how long it lasts, usually between 20 and 35 years.”

When you want to do aquaculture activities in the coastal marine area, you need a special permit. This permit will say how long you can do these activities. The time period must be at least 20 years from when the permit starts, unless you ask for less time, or if a shorter time is needed to make sure the environment is protected, or if a national environmental standard allows for a shorter time.

The longest time you can get for this permit is 35 years from when it starts. This rule works alongside section 125, which has some other rules about permits.

Your permit might last longer than the time it says if subpart 1A of Part 7A applies. This part of the law talks about extending permits in some cases.

Remember, all these rules are part of the Resource Management Act 1991, which helps look after New Zealand’s environment.

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Next up: 124: Exercise of resource consent while applying for new consent

or “You can keep using your old permission while asking for a new one if you apply early enough”
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Part 6 Resource consents
Duration of consent

123ADuration of consent for aquaculture activities

  1. A coastal permit authorising aquaculture activities to be undertaken in the coastal marine area must specify the period for which it is granted.

  2. The period specified under subsection (1) must be not less than 20 years from the date of commencement of the consent under section 116A unless—

  3. the applicant has requested a shorter period; or
    1. a shorter period is required to ensure that adverse effects on the environment are adequately managed; or
      1. a national environmental standard expressly allows a shorter period.

        1. The period specified under subsection (1) must be not more than 35 years from the date of commencement of the consent under section 116A.

        2. This section applies subject to section 125.

        3. The duration of a coastal permit to which this section applies is subject to any extension that may apply under subpart 1A of Part 7A.

        Notes
        • Section 123A: inserted, on , by section 31 of the Resource Management Amendment Act (No 2) 2011 (2011 No 70).
        • Section 123A(2)(b): amended, on , by section 77(1) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).
        • Section 123A(2)(c): inserted, on , by section 77(2) of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).
        • Section 123A(5): inserted, on , by section 5 of the Resource Management (Extended Duration of Coastal Permits for Marine Farms) Amendment Act 2024 (2024 No 32).