Aiming for $300M Northland aquaculture industry by 2030
A new aquaculture development strategy to be launched in Bream Bay this week aims to see aquaculture in Northland
developed into a $300 million industry employing more than 700 extra workers in less than two decades.
The ‘Northland Aquaculture Development Strategy’ is due to be officially launched by the Minister for Primary
Industries, David Carter, at NIWA’s Bream Bay Aquaculture Park on Friday 09 November.
The strategy has been developed over the past 12 months by the Northland Aquaculture Development Group (NADG). The group
has five working groups – Finfish, Oyster, Greenshell Mussel, Freshwater and Paua – and their collective membership
includes a who’s who of those already working/linked to the local aquaculture sector including industry, iwi,
scientists.
The Northland Aquaculture Development Group’s newly-elected chairman, Whangarei-based Ngati Whatua CEO Allan Pivac, says
the Government has already set a goal for New Zealand to have a $1 billion aquaculture industry by 2025.
“Northland’s contribution to this national target is $300m – and at least an extra 700 jobs - by 2030. The NADG is the
overarching group which supports the aquaculture sector’s growth and has various working groups set up to deliver this
goal.”
“It’s up to these species-specific working groups to deliver the individual targets set by NADG.”
Mr Pivac says the soon-to-be-launched strategy has been developed as a high level plan, with the actual detail to be
worked out by the species working groups. All five working groups are currently at varying stages of developing
sub-strategies for their respective areas.
“The Finfish Working Group is the most active and is in the final stages of preparing an initial business case before
making an application to the Government’s Primary Growth Partnership Scheme.” (The scheme funds projects that make a
significant economic impact at a regional level.)
Mr Pivac says Finfish Working Group members include representatives of NIWA, Whaingaroa Fisheries Company Ltd, Ngatiwai
Trust Board, Parengarenga Inc and Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi.
He says the wider NADG wants to see Northland play a leading role in New Zealand’s aquaculture development through the
use of innovation and technology.
To that end, farmed kingfish are being promoted as one of the potential stars in the North’s future aquaculture
industry.
The group envisages development of a successful yellowtail kingfish industry on land and at sea which it’s tipping to be
earning as much as $230m annually by 2030. Much of the initial work to develop this resource is being done out of the
Bream Bay Aquaculture Park, which already boasts a large hatchery and nursery, a brood stock of yellowtail and produces
kingfish fingerlings for local and global markets.
Another future big local performer is the Greenshell mussel industry, which the group wants to see grow from $1M to $20M
annually over the same period.
The stalwart of the current Northland aquaculture industry – the oyster – is also earmarked to double earnings from its
current $15M to $30M annually by 2030 and the paua industry to double from $10M to $20M.
Mr Pivac says the group wants to see the local aquaculture industry act as a “coherent professional collective”, forming
partnerships with all stakeholders and recognising the special rights of iwi in any development plans.
“It also wants to see export markets targeted and a focus on continuous supply of high value species.”
Utilising technology and securing strong support networks is another key element, as is maintaining a strong focus on
research and development and being innovative in terms of species, products and technology.
Other key target will be securing resource consents for both land and sea areas and funding by preparing an investment
proposal and working with the market.
“We predict that by 2030, with a 20% annual growth rate, we will see a significant increase in Northland’s aquaculture.”
Mr Pivac says the Northland Economic Advisory Group (NEAG), a region wide cross-sector group, supports the aquaculture
sector’s $300M/700-plus jobs goal by 2030.
He says copies of the Northland Aquaculture Development Strategy will be available after the Friday 09 November launch
from: nadg@northlandinc.co.nz
ends