Wednesday, 17 March 2021, 5:15 pm The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has received two independent reports into fish deaths in the lower Kaikorai Lagoon, which followed the mechanical opening of the coastal mouth by ORC contractors as a flood mitigation. ORC commissioned the two reports because of its dual role as operator and regulator, in order to keep those powers separate: one on the cause of the fish deaths for the engineering team by Ryder Environmental, and one by Wynn Williams reviewing the compliance investigation. Both reports are supplied. Engineering review The independent expert review by Ryder Environmental could not establish a factual cause and effect relationship associated