Aquaculture NZ launched towards billion dollar future

Press Release by Aquaculture New Zealand, 07 June 2007.

Aquaculture NZ was officially launched today at a function which included the Prime Minister's launch of the Government's response to the Aquaculture Strategy which positions the industry for a bright billion-dollar future by 2025.

"The response to our sector strategy, unveiled by the Prime Minister is called Our Blue Horizon and mirrors our own approach to attaining our goal of being an industry worth $1 billion by 2025," said Aquaculture NZ chief executive Mike Burrell.

The government has demonstrated that it is committed to fostering the continued growth of the environmentally sustainable aquaculture industry, he said.

"We will be focusing on profitable, sustainable and regional growth based on repositioning existing products, maximizing the value of existing space, exploring opportunities for new species, added value products and developing new space in partnership with Iwi and local communities."

Both the Aquaculture Sector Strategy and the Government response Our Blue Horizons are available on http://www.aquaculture.org.nz/

Five-Point Plan To Support Aquaculture Development

Press Release by New Zealand Government, 07 June 2007

The government has announced its five-point plan to support the future growth of aquaculture in New Zealand.

"The government's plan supports regional councils in their planning processes, provides better public information on aquaculture, promotes Maori involvement in aquaculture, and helps the aquaculture industry develop markets and products," Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said today.

Continued growth of the aquaculture sector will be based on industry partnerships with regional councils, iwi and communities, and with research providers."For this growth to be successful, it must also be sustainable," Jim Anderton said. "One area I'm particularly excited about is working with industry to develop national standards for sustainable aquaculture.

"National standards will prove to the world that New Zealand's aquaculture industry is environmentally sustainable ? giving us an edge with consumers who are demanding eco-friendly food products."

Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said the government will be working closely with regional councils and other interested parties on initiatives to help aquaculture develop in a sustainable way.

"We want to encourage investment in aquaculture planning, particularly through supporting regional councils to create new Aquaculture Management Areas, where suitable, to make better use of existing aquaculture space, and to provide for research and experimentation," David Benson-Pope said.

"Towards this, we have provided $2 million to councils through a contestable fund. Nearly $400,000 of this has just been approved to Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions to assist with the information gathering, policy development and community processes required for good aquaculture planning."

Maori will also play a key role in the future development of aquaculture in New Zealand. "Strengthening their involvement will further benefit Maori communities, and ensure the prosperity of the wider industry," Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said.

"The Government takes very seriously its commitments in the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004. The government has also provided funding for the new industry body Aquaculture New Zealand to employ a Maori relationship manager.

"This will prove an important position, as the role will help develop even stronger relations between industry and iwi groups."

Details of the Labour-Progressive government's initiatives for the aquaculture industry are contained in the publication 'Our Blue Horizon', and can be found on the government's aquaculture website: http://www.aquaculture.govt.nz/  

Aquaculture Industry Identified As Priority For Growth

Press Release by New Zealand Government, 07 June 2007

Prime Minister Helen Clark today launched a new industry body for the aquaculture sector, saying it is a significant step toward realising the industry's potential to become a billion dollar a year industry by 2025, and contribute to New Zealand's economic transformation.

"The new agency, Aquaculture New Zealand, will be a single overarching voice for aquaculture," Helen Clark said.

"Twenty years ago, aquaculture was a relatively small industry, turning over about a million dollars a week and employing four hundred people. Today it has grown to employ 2500 people, and it turns over close to a million dollars a day. Fish and shellfish farming has now become the fastest growing sector of New Zealand's seafood industry. Our government believes the sector's vision to become a billion-dollar industry by 2025 is achievable.

"The sector has immense potential to help transform New Zealand's economy in a way which is both environmentally and socially sustainable.

"Aquaculture New Zealand will enable the industry to implement its sector strategy, and to communicate and build relationships between the government, councils, iwi and other stakeholders.

"Aquaculture New Zealand brings cohesion, stability and marketing direction to the industry. Future growth of the industry depends on it continuing to grow sustainably and develop markets for its products, particularly offshore.

"I look forward to seeing further aquaculture development being provided for in regional coastal plans," Helen Clark.

The government's aquaculture website, www.aquaculture.govt.nz went live at midday today.

Helen Clark Address at Launch Of Aquaculture New Zealand

Press Release by New Zealand Government, 07 June 2007

Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister

Address at Launch Of Aquaculture New Zealand

At The Boathouse
326 Wakefield Quay
NELSON

Thursday 7 June 2007

I am pleased to be able to join you today for the launch of this new industry body, Aquaculture New Zealand.

Twenty years ago, aquaculture was a relatively small industry, turning over about a million dollars a week and employing four hundred people.

Today it has grown to employ 2500 people, and it turns over close to a million dollars a day.

Fish and shellfish farming has now become the fastest growing sector of New Zealand's seafood industry.

The sector has immense potential to help transform New Zealand's economy in a way which is both environmentally and socially sustainable.

New Zealand's farmed fish and shellfish production is now a $300 million a year industry. Our government believes the sector's vision to become a billion-dollar industry by 2025 is achievable.

A large part of the industry's success to date is based on its reputation for sustainable, high value, innovative products which meet the needs of increasingly sophisticated consumers - at home and abroad.

New Zealanders already enjoy the benefits of locally farmed seafood - virtually all the New Zealand fresh and chilled mussels, salmon and Pacific oysters in our shops, are farm-raised.

The future growth of the industry depends on it continuing to grow sustainably and further developing markets for its products, particularly offshore.

Sustainability is a necessity in today's business world, not an optional extra. Increasingly consumers want to know not just what a product or service does for them - but also how it's produced and transported.

New Zealand aquaculture is poised to grow into an even bigger industry.

Its potential is being driven by the quality of our produce and by a reputation for clean, sustainable production. That gives us an edge in global markets.

Let me illustrate with a story from a luxury lodge in Queenstown, where celebrities and sophisticated business travellers from around the world come to experience the finest food and services we have to offer.

Blanket Bay Lodge was recently rated by Conde Naste travel magazine as one of the best hotels in the world for its cuisine.

The executive chef there puts fresh New Zealand oysters, salmon, mussels, and paua on the menu every night because, in his words, "The raw product when it arrives to us is the finest grade quality you can find on the planet for its taste, its flavour, and its presentation."

This food is unique because it's farmed in pristine, clean, and unspoiled New Zealand waters. That's a huge competitive advantage for us to capitalise on.

Today's launch of Aquaculture New Zealand is a significant step toward realising the industry's potential.

Aquaculture New Zealand will be a single overarching voice for aquaculture in New Zealand.

This will be essential as the industry implements its sector strategy, and as it communicates and builds relationships with government, councils, iwi, and other stakeholders.

Aquaculture New Zealand can bring cohesion, stability, and marketing direction to the industry.

Our Labour-led government has identified the aquaculture industry as one of the most important economic sectors for future growth. We know it can boost economic development in our regions and small coastal towns.

It is also an industry with enormous potential for Maori economic development.

I was pleased to see that Aquaculture New Zealand has ensured Maori representation on its Board.

The Aquaculture Commercial Claims Settlement Act 2004 further cements the place of Maori in this sector.

There is an important role in aquaculture for Maori as businesspeople, as well as culturally in the role of kaitiaki in relation to management of marine resources. Kaitiaki tanga revolves around the principles of sustainable use.

The opportunities for New Zealanders are abundant because the world is hungry for farmed fish products.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations predicts world seafood consumption will rise by a third in the next ten years.

There are not enough fish in the sea to meet the demand, so the rapidly expanding demand will have to be met from aquaculture.

New Zealand cannot let pass the opportunity to be part of that growth, and we do have those compelling competitive advantages.

Many other countries can only dream of relatively uncrowded coasts, and clean waters. As well, we have highly skilled scientists and researchers working to develop new varieties and innovation in processing.

With today's launch of Aquaculture New Zealand, we have the industry and central and local government prepared to work together.

As the industry grows, it's up to us all to ensure its development is sustainable, so that it has a long term future, so that we can meet consumer demand, and so we are in a position of strength as regulators around the world demand higher environmental standards.

Consumers in our markets are increasingly prepared to pay a premium for products which are kind to the environment. There is money to be made from being sustainable, and much less to be made if we are not.

Already New Zealand aquaculture has a good story to tell. When the leading American environmental organization, The Blue Ocean Institute, looked around the world for eco-friendly sources of seafood, it gave one of its highest ratings to New Zealand's greenshell mussel, deeming it to be one of the top two sustainable seafoods in the world.

Our oyster, salmon, and abalone farmers are also recognised as having in place world best practice in environmental management.

I repeat: sustainability is not just a buzz word, it is a necessity for future prosperity. If we set our sights on becoming a truly sustainable nation, that's not only good for the environment, it is good for the bottom line too.

So I'm pleased that our government and this industry are working in partnership to develop national standards for sustainable aquaculture.

We will work with international agencies which can audit these environmental standards and confirm that they are world best practice standards.

Environmental standards are also important to reassure communities about development in their areas. The industry is developing in public space, and it must be a good steward of that space.

Regional councils play an important role in that, and I urge industry and councils to work together with their communities to help aquaculture develop.

Aquaculture growth will not just be about more marine farms; it will also be about using the space we already have allocated to best effect.

Most of the economic growth from aquaculture will benefit regional economies.

In small towns like Havelock in Marlborough, Kaeo in Northland, and in Coromandel, aquaculture has brought jobs, wealth, and opportunities.

There are not many industries which can do as much for our coastal rural communities.

As we look to the future of aquaculture we will need to develop new technologies and new and higher value species. We do need more of the high value exports aquaculture can bring.

Our major aquaculture species at the moment are mussels, salmon, oysters, and paua. But scientists are pioneering research into farming kingfish, eel, sea cucumbers, kina, rock lobsters, and hapuka. There is some exciting growth potential ahead.

The aquaculture industry has already been developed with Kiwi creativity and hard work. Further innovation will help to unlock further growth.

There have been growing pains in bringing aquaculture to this point.

It has taken hard work from both government and industry.

Today we are opening the door to a new era of growth and to that goal of developing a billion dollar industry by 2025.

Shortly my colleague Jim Anderton will explain our government's work programme to support this industry in achieving its goal. Our website on aquaculture went live at midday - at www.aquaculture.govt.nz .

For now, I wish Aquaculture New Zealand and the wider industry every success, and thank you for the contribution you are making to the economic transformation of New Zealand.

Hon Jim Anderton: Five-point plan to support aquaculture development

Press Release by NZ Government, 07 June 2007

The Government is committed to a partnership with the aquaculture industry

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Launch of the Government¡'s aquaculture industry strategy and Aquaculture New Zealand, the Boatshed, Nelson.

I welcome the launch of Aquaculture New Zealand and the opportunity to talk about the government¡¦s vision and work programme in the sector. I've been here to this region many times in the past few years. I've been here to launch exciting initiatives in the wine industry, the aircraft industry and in the seafood industry.

All are developing strongly as important sectors for the growth of our economy. They have been exemplary examples of the potential for our regions to contribute to the national economy by building on their strengths.

The government has been an enthusiastic partner throughout f{ for both the region and the sectors. When I was Minister of Economic Development, the aquaculture industry needed a strategy to chart a future course. The government fronted up with $112,000 to develop that strategy. It was released in June last year.

And today I am pleased to release the Government¡¦s response, 'Our Blue Horizon'. Copies are available tonight and the plan is to distribute them widely in New Zealand and overseas. As well, a website has just been launched, giving details of the strategy. www.aquaculture.govt.nz

With Team New Zealand's success in Valencia, we might deploy a sailing metaphor: When we set out the sector strategy we crossed the start line, and now we're rounding the first mark with the wind in our sails. 'Our Blue Horizon' is the right name for the strategy. The potential for aquaculture is bright, and it's right to focus on the horizon and how we'll get there

The government is committed to a partnership with the aquaculture industry, local government, Maori and everyone with a stake in the sector to help the industry achieve its goal of being a $1 billion dollar business by 2025.

I want to go through the commitments of 'Our Blue Horizon' in some detail.
Growing the aquaculture industry will require investment, and investment in turn needs certainty.

So building the confidence to invest is our first objective. The government wants to encourage investment in aquaculture planning, particularly by supporting regional councils to create new Aquaculture Management Areas. The government's support will promote collaboration between stakeholders, and reduce barriers to aquaculture planning and development.

We have a new planning framework and it will take time for everyone to get used to it. In some regions, aquaculture planning is already underway, while elsewhere others are still getting started.

The cost of the initial information gathering, consulting and planning work for new aquaculture development is a major issue for regional councils which needs to be balanced against competing ratepayer priorities.

So the government has set up a $2 million contestable fund to help councils with these costs. A number of councils have applied to use this fund and announcements will be made soon.

Aquaculture is a valuable industry for the development of our regions. I've been to see examples of the difference aquaculture can make to smaller towns, such as Havelock, Coromandel, and Kaeo in Northland. When we sat down with industry leaders to look at regions where government should focus its assistance, we identified five priority projects.

They are mainly based around the four northern regional councils f{ both industry and regional councils see these regions as a priority. The priority projects will create new aquaculture management areas in Northland and Auckland. They will encourage research and innovation and pave the way for regional partnerships.

We're also building the confidence to invest by giving regional councils and industry tools to help with planning and management. Tools such as information and planning guides and a review of current environmental monitoring practices are being developed to encourage good practices.

While the new law is still largely untried, problems with the new legislation need to be resolved as they come up. A package of mostly technical amendments to the aquaculture legislation is being progressed to ensure the new law operates as intended. We will continue to work constructively with industry, Maori, councils and other interested parties to ensure the law operates effectively and efficiently.

For all the positive work going on to promote good practice, it saddens me that public support for aquaculture is sometimes patchy. There is sometimes reflexive nimby-ism and we can't afford it.

Better public support makes both the investment and the planning environment more straightforward. So building public support is our second objective.
Building public support is a matter of engaging with real concerns and ensuring we are true to our promise of high environmental standards.

And in our national policy statement the government recognises that New Zealanders treasure our coastal waters for many uses and not all of our coastline will be suitable for aquaculture development.

In those places where it would be appropriate, government and industry are working together to provide regional decision-makers and the public with accurate, timely and independent information about the benefits and effects of aquaculture. National standards for aquaculture are part of the mix in making sure the industry is sustainable.

Good information, sound resource management and inclusive planning processes are all vital if we are going to have an industry that looks after its natural surroundings and wins the support of local communities.

Among the communities that stand to realise the potential of aquaculture are Maori. I welcome that.

More and more New Zealanders are destined to be Maori, so Maori economic development is New Zealand economic development. In our past we haven't brought enough Maori along as our economy has developed. We can all recognise the justice and value to New Zealand generally of doing better.

So I congratulate Aquaculture New Zealand for appointing a Maori economic development manager. Maori have already staked out a significant place in aquaculture. Strengthening Maori participation will both produce direct benefits and promise for the wider industry.

Te Puni Kokiri is currently investigating initiatives that include a Maori development work programme to build stronger relationships between industry and Maori. Funding has been approved for $190,000 each year for the next three years. A road show with local Maori communities is also going to head to ten areas to talk about opportunities and the commercial aquaculture settlement.

No matter who is participating in the industry, if we are going to achieve the best value from our aquaculture development, we must be at the forefront of technology and industry best practice. So our fourth objective is capitalising on research and innovation.

Aquaculture New Zealand recently calculated that almost $15 million is spent on aquaculture research and development annually. Over $9 million of this is publicly funded and $5.5 million comes from industry.

More funding will come soon through the granting of tax credits for R&D, as announced in the Budget in May. If you are investing in research and development you will be eligible for a tax credit of fifteen percent.

The Government has approved a project to get more research and innovation into new aquaculture species and technologies. One feature has been the work the government has done with regional councils to support innovation in the way existing aquaculture space is used. A good example is the work already underway in the Waikato to allow experimental aquaculture on existing farms.

We're looking at whether we need to change the law or use other tools to encourage experimental aquaculture. And the government will assist Aquaculture New Zealand to develop a national research strategy for the aquaculture sector.

It will provide guidance to providers and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology about the research priorities for aquaculture over the next five to ten years. It will also allow the industry to develop a business case to access additional public research funding streams in future.

I hope we will see better cooperation between science, industry and other
stakeholders. There are some exciting initiatives underway already. A couple of weeks ago I opened a new research facility at Mahurangi Institute of Technology, for example, that is specialising in world-class research into eels. Here in this region, there is a Centre of Excellence which can be another spark for more research. Research and development helps develop products capable of meeting demand and commanding a premium in export markets.

To achieve the industry¡¦s goal of $1 billion sales by 2025, most of the sales growth will have to be from exports to new and existing export markets. So our fifth objective is to increase market revenues.

Government has already contributed funding towards a market development plan for the next five years. It will identify opportunities for improving access to export markets and identifying opportunities for new species and products.

Aquaculture New Zealand has a proposal going to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to help implement their market development plan over the next five years. Decisions on this funding will be announced in July.

We have put in place frameworks to ensure our commitment to this industry is delivered. A team drawn from all across government, led by the Ministry of Fisheries, is already in place. We need leadership at the highest levels, so ministers have set up a ministers' group and ministry chief executives¡¦ group to oversee the work of departments on aquaculture. We will also help industry to set up a forum where industry leaders can talk through issues with government and local government.

The Government¡¦s desire is to establish a vibrant sustainable aquaculture industry. We need our primary industries to be successful if New Zealand is going to enjoy a rising standard of living. Our primary industries are New Zealand's competitive advantage. Only they have the scale and the existing base that we need to develop substantial international business opportunities.

Among the primary industries, fisheries and aquaculture have been stand-out performers. There will never be a finish line, but there is an exciting journey of growth for industry ahead.

When I think of the industry's potential, I think of the many ways it can benefit regional economies f{ not just directly through aquaculture farms. But indirectly:
Through the creation of intellectual property, as we invest in our science. Through our manufacturing plant, as suppliers gear up to service the industry in a more sophisticated way f{ just as our dairying industry has helped create some of our most successful manufacturers.

And through industries like tourism, too. Local operators have set up tours around mussels farms, giving visitors mussels to eat out on the water, inevitably washed down with a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc. These are real strengths, grown in the soil and in the water of New Zealand. No one will ever be able to pick these industries up and take them somewhere else, because they are unique to this region.

Today we're setting our with ambitious plans to reach our blue horizon ... and I believe the government's response to the sector strategy will help to form a very positive partnership for the future. Good wishes to you all for a successful voyage.