Coral discovery suspends fast-track application

McCallum Bros Limited’s (MBL) fast-track application for its Bream Bay sand extraction project has been suspended for a second time, after a protected species of cup coral was identified in the proposed extraction area. Despite already seeking wildlife approval for two other protected coral species, MBL needs additional approval for Culicia rubeola, a small, stony cup coral that is one of more than 300 coral species protected under the Wildlife Act. The Department of Conservation (DOC) had already raised concerns about the project’s potential impact on protected corals, including uncertainty a...