February 2015 - Aquaculture New Zealand

Aquaculture February 2015

NEW ZEALAND

Sharing The

Love at the Auckland Seafood Festival

Social License with Kate Brooks

Golden Bay Aquaculture Academy

Q&A with Andrew Selby

AquAculture February 2015

NEW ZEALAND

ShAring The

Love at the Auckland Seafood Festival

Social License with Kate Brooks

NewsinBrief

Gilbert’s Golden Shore

Golden Bay Aquaculture Academy


Published by

Space watch Five resource consents covering 58ha of new farming space have been issued since October, 2014. In total 93 new applications have been approved for 360ha since the 2011 law reforms with a further 26 applications for 571ha currently before regional councils. (NB: excludes spat catching applications in the Western Firth)

“The best se afo Invercargill M od I’ve ever eaten,” ayor Tim Sha d after eating the mussels, bolt said salmon and oysters served at th e 2014 New Zealan d Aquacultu re Conferenc e.

Golden Bay Beauty EDITOR: Adam Hicks Email [email protected] Web www.aquaculture.org.nz DDI: +64 (03) 546 2662 Mob: +64 (0) 21 244 5166 Editorial content compiled by Aquaculture New Zealand. Design: JK Frith Design [email protected] Aquaculture New Zealand Level 1, Wakatu House, Montgomery Square, Nelson 7010 New Zealand Email: [email protected] Phone: 03 548 8944 Fax: 03 548 8984 GENERAL: The Aquaculture New Zealand magazine is published several times per year to promote the work and support the sustainable growth of industry. Contributions relevant to the aquaculture industry are welcomed and industry participants are encouraged to contribute. Articles and information printed in Aquaculture New Zealand do not necessarily reflect the opinions or formal position of the organisation Aquaculture New Zealand unless otherwise stated. All material published in Aquaculture New Zealand is done so with care to ensure accuracy and factual content. However the publishers and editorial staff cannot accept responsibility for any inadvertent errors and/or omissions that may occur.

GLM-9 resources As part of efforts to improve community support and understanding of spat collection, the GLM9 Advisory Group have compiled a photo library that provides a snapshot of the local environment, people and practices. A supporting brochure and video is also under development and will be available later this year. For more information contact AQNZ Business Manager [email protected]

r a d n e l a c t n e 2015 ev March 14 ve Ha lock Mussel Festival April 30 NZSFA AGM, Christchurch

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John Young never misses an opportunity to promote Greenshell mussels. The Clearwater Mussels director was having lunch at Toto’s Café on a hilltop near Totaranui (close to the Wainui spat farms) when he got chatting to café owner Crian Cahusac. “It’s a mud-brick restaurant on the top of a hill overlooking Wainui,” John said. “I asked him whether he is pro or anti mussel farming. He is pro, so I suggested he get some mussels off us for a distinctive pizza showcasing the mussels of Golden Bay.” With that, the Golden Bay Beauty was born: locally farmed mussels, mozerella, parmesan cheese, red capsicum, red onion and olives on a tomato base. And it is a hit. “It’s my favourite type of pizza,” Crian said. “It has a lovely seafood flavour, with really nice, good quality mussels from John. “We’ve now gone through 100kgs. “It is very popular with our customers and we regularly get people who’ve tried it coming back in for more.”

August 28-31 l China Internationa Fishery and Seafood Expo, Guangzhou

March 15-17 Seafood Expo North America, Boston July 31 MFA AGM, Nelson September 5-9 World Seafood Congress, UK

March 24 Maori Fisheries Conference, Auckland August 18-21 Aqua-Nor, Norway

April 21-23 Seafood Expo Global, Brussels August 19 Seafood New Zealand Conference, Wellington

September 16-18 10 8r be New Zealand Septem , ia As po Ex Aquaculture d oo af Se ng Ko Conference Hong

G

ilbert James has been planning to build a new mussel barge for the past 20 years. Last year, the plan became a reality with the launch of the Golden Shore. The 26 metre long, seven metre wide barge was put on the water for the first time at midnight on a Monday in early December, after a year-long construction process by Challenge Marine in Nelson. Gilbert and his team from Gold Ridge Marine Farms were on hand to witness the launch and celebrate with a quiet beer on the deck. “This is a big step up in progress for Gold Ridge Marine Farms,” Gilbert said. “I’ve been going to build a harvester for a long time, but we’ve never quite had enough work to justify it. “Apart from when we first

started, we’ve always just contracted out the harvesting. “But now we’ve got 48 hectares of new space in B Block Wilsons Bay to be developed and serviced and the Golden Shore will allow us to do all that work ourselves as well as harvest all our own product. It gives us full independence.” The Golden Shore, designed by McBride Design, is capable of carrying 48 tonnes of mussels and supersedes Gold Ridge’s two, 15-metre barges that have been in service for 27 years. Gilbert and his crew spent 14 days in Nelson working with Challenge Marine and Marine and General on the final fit out before sailing home. The return voyage took 70 hours cruising at 10 knots up the west coast and arriving in the Coromandel on Christmas Eve. The Golden Shore has been in service nearly every day since.

Kono solo in China Kono has become the sole owner of the China-focused Pure New Zealand Greenshell company after buying all remaining shares. Pure NZ was formed in 2011 as a joint market entry approach between Kono, Sanford, Sealord, Pacifica and Greenshell New Zealand.

Summer mussels promo AQNZ and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels developed a Greenshell mussel summer promotion that saw the hotel chain offer guests two mussel-dish specials. Mussels with a creamy garlic and white wine sauce and a spicy style mussels with chilli and ginger dish were served with fries or crusty bread for $23. A range of supporting collateral was supplied by AQNZ.

Only Marlborough

Big Day Out

A new Marlborough District Council campaign has been launched to help promote the importance of the industry to the region and its people. The ‘Only Marlborough’ campaign will work with businesses, industry groups, community groups and others to promote industry stories and has promotional material available. For more information contact MDC’s economic development officer Cathie Bell cathie.bell@ marlborough.govt.nz

An annual large scale industry clean-up has removed over 600kg of rubbish from beaches across the top of the South. The 2015 Big Day Out initiative, co-ordinated by the MFA’s Environment Committee, saw 69 industry representatives, dedicate 268 hours to combing beaches in Golden Bay, Tasman Bay, Kenepuru Sound, Pelorus Sound, East Bay.

Proof that aq uaculture op e with the envi ronment wa rates in balance s seen when of orca were a po sp Kenepuru So otted hunting stingray in d und over sum the mer. F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5

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oysters The missing link of

Atlantic salmon

NZ’s King salmon Vibrant apricot, shiny, deep marbling

Appearance

Soft peach colour, muddy hue, less distinct fat lines

Mild yet rich

Flavour

Bland, flat, oily

Firm, pleasant bite, silky, buttery, elegant

Texture

Firm but becomes mushy when thawed, lacks structure

Fresh

Format

Frozen

New Zealand

Source

Norway

Highly versatile. King salmon has a higher oil content that makes it easy for home cooks to produce good results. Can be frozen if required

Cooking Storage

Shorter cooking time. Can produce good results when pan fried or barbecued but must be closely monitored as can dry out quickly Should not refreeze

Taste test with top chefs confirms New Zealand farms...

The King of salmon F

or the past 25 years fresh, locally farmed King salmon has been the only salmon available in New Zealand supermarkets. But in recent months Atlantic salmon has become available on Countdown shelves around the country, and is giving New Zealand consumers a choice between the fresh King salmon and a thawed, frozen product imported from Norway. To some they sound the same, but they are very different species and offer very different culinary properties. “For most Kiwis, there is only one type of salmon – and that’s the King salmon they’ve been cooking at home for decades. But to the rest of the world, New Zealand farmed King salmon is a luxury served in exclusive restaurants,” said Aquaculture New Zealand CEO Gary Hooper. “New Zealand farmed King salmon is prized for its purity, clean flavour profile, vibrant flesh colour, higher oil content and pleasant silky bite that has top chefs in the US, Europe and Asia praising it as the best salmon they’ve ever eaten. “The vast majority of the world’s salmon production is Atlantic salmon,

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while New Zealand’s farmed King, which is considered the champagne of salmon, accounts for less than 0.5% of the global production.” To help consumers understand the difference, the kitchen team from one of New Zealand’s most respected restaurants, Hopgoods, compared and contrasted the two offerings. “Before I came to New Zealand, I worked with Atlantic salmon for 25 years. Now I would only use King salmon,” said restaurant owner Kevin Hopgood who moved from England a decade ago. “New Zealand farmed King salmon has good consistency of product, vibrant colour and produces consistently excellent results. “Atlantic salmon can be a good product but I would never use frozen fish in the kitchen. “The thawed out Atlantic product is mushy, watery…a bit insipid, tasteless and lacks structure. “Customers also need to be aware for food safety reasons that it should not be re-frozen at home”. Head chef Aaron Ballantyne said they also required different cooking times. “The King salmon has a higher oil

content so it is much more forgiving,” Aaron said. “You have to watch Atlantic salmon closely because it will dry out much faster than King salmon. “You have to be very careful with Atlantic salmon – there is much less room for error.” There was a similar response when influential US chefs were also asked to compare the two products in good condition. “I ran a taste test with my top staff, both kitchen and servers. Everyone agreed that the New Zealand King salmon was the best piece of salmon they had ever tasted by far,” said Martin Rios, Restaurant Martin, Santa Fe. “The oil content in the New Zealand King salmon changes the texture of the fish, and almost makes it incomparable since it is so different. It puts it in a different category and redefines what salmon can be,” Mike Yakura, Ozuma, San Franciso. “It is pretty obvious that most people would prefer New Zealand King salmon for the nice texture and mild, buttery flavour,” said Kaz Okochi, Kaz’s Sushi Bistro, Washington. n

“I

t’s like a slap in the face from the ocean – but in a really good way. Wow!” The slap is part of the experience of Kono’s new farmed flat oyster product, Kiwa, and the person enjoying it was an influential US chef sampling it during a recent innovative in-market demonstration. Ahead of its official New Zealand launch to rave reviews at the Auckland Seafood Festival last month, the Kiwa, along with close sibling the Tio Point oyster, was taken into the high-end kitchens of 36 top US chefs directly by the men who farm them – Andy Elliot and Bruce Hearn. Andy, whose team have been developing the Kiwa for the past four years, said it was part of their market strategy to create awareness of the unique attributes, growing conditions and premium nature of the product. “The flat oyster industry is really only just starting to dawn but it’s important at these early stages to be looking to the future and focussing on where there is appreciation and demand for a quality product,” he said. “The USA offers the best oyster dining experiences in the world. We have an exquisite product and want it served in the best possible way – but we understand that they have a lot of options and are well aware of what’s available. “So we wanted to get in market, in front of chefs and position our oysters as a unique species and offering.” But why not send the marketing team instead of the farmers. “It was a humble, genuine approach to show the authenticity of what we do and bring the chefs closer to the source of the product,” Andy said.

“It wouldn’t have worked if we sent the marketing crew. They didn’t want to hear a marketing spiel. “They wanted to know first-hand how it was grown and get a feel for the technicalities and the authenticity and understand why it was different.” And ultimately they were impressed. “They’d never had anything like it before,” Andy said. “In New Zealand everyone knows of the Bluff oyster – but in America, the flat oyster is rare. “They said it was completely on its own in terms of the flavour experience. “Some described it as the missing link that completed the oyster world.” And following the positive reviews, Kono have been supplying small volumes of the Kiwa live into exclusive restaurants and oyster bars where Andy said chefs are positioning it at the top end of the menu. “We’re discovering a great opportunity for New Zealand farmed flat oysters and moving forward it is essential that all producers work together,” Andy said. “At that high-end of the market you need to guarantee consistency of quality and supply – you can’t have it one week and not the next. “By collaborating with each other, we can maintain the supply and grow the demand for all New Zealand flat oysters, without compromising on quality or sacrificing our premium price advantage.” n

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with 20,000 at Auckland Seafood Festival

L

ove salmon, oysters and mussels? Thousands of Aucklanders do after getting a taste of the best of New Zealand’s aquaculture industry at the Auckland Seafood Festival last month. Marine farmers from around the country came together to showcase their products and share their stories with nearly 20,000 seafood lovers, who visited the event billed as the country’s largest seafood celebration. “New Zealand salmon, oysters and mussels are premium products, nurtured by artisan producers in pristine waters,” said Aquaculture New Zealand CEO Gary Hooper “They are revered by quality chefs in highend restaurants all over the world and to help share that love with New Zealand seafood fans, our marine farmers came in off the water to serve up an awesome seafood experience, one plate at a time.” The concept was based on the extremely successful ‘Oyster Alley’ and ‘Salmon Street’ concepts born out of the New Zealand Aquaculture Conference, where farmers host

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separate stalls, side by side, and serve their products direct to the attendees. “It’s a powerful way of improving community support and understanding of the industry,” Gary said. “We know from research that people who eat our products feel more positive about the sector. “The Auckland Seafood Festival was a rare opportunity to connect with large numbers of potential industry supporters and give them a taste of just how good our products are and introduce them to the people who proudly farm their seafood.” Oyster Alley gave diners the chance to compare the offerings of six different oyster farmers side by side including Clevedon Coast Oysters, Tio Point Oysters, Mahurangi Oysters, Kiwa Oysters, Sanford’s farmed Bluff oysters and Pacific Marine Farms oysters. Salmon Street featured a range of sashimi, cooked and smoked varieties from New Zealand King Salmon raised in the Marlborough Sounds, Akaroa Salmon raised in Lucas Bay,

Akaroa Harbour and Sanford farmed salmon raised in Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island. The people’s champion of seafood, the New Zealand Greenshell mussel was represented by Sanford who served up fritter butties with tomato kasundi and rocket. Tio Point Oysters owner Bruce Hearn said while most of the exhibitors sold out of product, the biggest returns were in the form of social capital. “From a social licence point of view it was absolutely excellent because for many visitors it was their first exposure to the industry and it gave them a really positive experience,” Bruce said. “We had a lot of people come through who had never tried fresh oysters before. They’d go around and sample the different varieties and compare the tastes, and ask us about how they are farmed. “It was a really worthwhile event. All the feedback from the public was positive.” n

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Full Training Suite to Support Industry The Aquaculture degree and postgraduate qualifications at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) will help support industry achieve its targets of $1 billion in sales by 2025, says NMIT Chief Executive Tony Gray.

New industry tools M

eet Stu Te Tamaki. He’s a passionate young oyster farmer who protects local waterways, invests in the local community and proudly crafts world-class seafood. Thousands of diners were introduced to Stu, and five other industry identities, as they sat down to enjoy their lunch at the Auckland Seafood Festival, thanks to a series of table toppers developed by Aquaculture New Zealand. “At festivals and events we have a great opportunity to engage with people who are open to learning more about the industry,” said AQNZ Marketing Manager Casey Marriott. “We developed a new range of collateral to help industry leverage the opportunity and effectively promote our people, our products and our stories. “The table toppers are a simple, fun way of continuing the conversation with customers as they are sitting down and enjoying your products.” “We’ve designed them to be fully customisable for sector companies to use and incorporate pictures of their people and branding.” The table toppers are part of a range of collateral, that includes preparation guides and recipe cards, developed with new branding and messaging. “We developed these as tools for industry to use, with a greater focus

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on the domestic market and boosting industry reputation,” Casey said. “They are carefully worded using persuasive and emotive language that’s based on sound science and fact. “They also focus on humanising the industry. People identify with other people, and we’re promoting real faces, real local jobs and real contribution to the economy and local communities.” The recipes and handling guides have been developed to show kiwis how to get perfect results at home when using the products and also give them some culinary inspiration. “We’ve also been in discussions with New Zealand supermarket chains and the feedback they hear most often from customers is they don’t know what to do with our products. So we’ve developed these easily digestible resources aimed to get New Zealanders using our products at home and we’re working to get them onto seafood counters at supermarkets around the country. The collateral is the latest addition to the significant suite of material developed by the AQNZ Market Development programme with all being available for use and customisation by industry. For more information email [email protected] n

NMIT now provides a full suite of aquaculture training to support the New Zealand aquaculture industry –from secondary school pathways through to postgraduate level. In addition to its successful Diploma in Aquaculture, NMIT offers two higher level aquaculture qualifications– a vocationallyfocussed Bachelor of Aquaculture and Marine Conservation and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture; both are unique in New Zealand. The institute has also developed a Trades Academy course in Maritime and Aquaculture, where students from local secondary schools study at NMIT one day a week while still at school. Another initiative is the ‘Salmon in Schools’ project, where NMIT aquaculture students mentor secondary school classes to hatch and raise salmon. Tony Gray says there has been a “huge amount” of industry consultation in developing the programmes, through industry surveys, independent research and the input of NMIT’s advisory committee. “One of the key recommendations from industry was that the programmes needed to be

$1000

relocation

scholarship*

half

degree 4 free* scholarship

available part-time and online for those already in employment – which we have listened to.” Aquaculture students, George Faulkner and Ellie Kerrisk, feed zooplankton to The programmes are seahorses in the Seahorse Recirculating Aquaculture System. George and Ellie expected to attract students graduated at the end of 2014. from around New Zealand from an increasingly skilled workforce. and overseas. NMIT This course, and growth in expertise Aquaculture Programme Coordinator Dr within the aquaculture industry, should Mark Burdass says the qualifications are help with regional economic development aimed at filling a need for qualified staff in the Top of the South and nationally.” in what is a relatively new industry for New Zealand. New Zealand King Salmon Chief Executive Grant Rosewarne says the company “Many senior staff in the aquaculture is delighted with NMIT’s development industry in New Zealand currently come of both a degree and postgraduate from overseas – there’s not much homequalification. “It grows top industry talent grown talent. We see a real opportunity in the region, and builds further strength to start developing that core and and depth to the aquaculture industry building a greater level of expertise and here. By world standards, we're small professionalism in the local industry.” but smart, and these new qualifications The Cawthron Institute is a key partner just add to that intellectual capital.” in the delivery of the programmes. Aquaculture New Zealand Chief Cawthron Institute Chief Executive, Executive Gary Hooper says aquaculture Professor Charles Eason says, “The in New Zealand has grown from small predicted growth in aquaculture research beginnings to become a significant and development and production that is primary industry. happening at the Glen Aquaculture Park heralds opportunities for students locally “The aquaculture sector currently and nationally - with benefits for industry generates over $400 million in revenue and employs over 3,000 Kiwis in green jobs. We have a target of reaching $1 billion in sales by 2025 and to do that, we know that the industry needs to invest in training and education to attract and retain a skilled workforce. We are very supportive of NMIT’s move to develop these new aquaculture-relevant qualifications which will help meet Introducing New Zealand’s diploma, degree and industry needs.” postgraduate qualifications in Aquaculture, one of the Aquaculture education at NMIT is country’s most dynamic and fast-growing industries. delivered in state of the art facilities Learn part time, online or flexibly. at NMIT’s Nelson Campus and at the Cawthron Institute’s facilities at the Glen Aquaculture Park.

An ocean of possibility awaits in Aquaculture at NMIT

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Who’s for

aquaculture? How to strengthen social license

“I

t’s social license with an ‘s’- not social licence with a ‘c’,” stresses Kate Brooks. It’s a simple, but fundamental distinction that Dr Brooks, a social scientist with over 20 years’ experience, explains is key to strengthening community support and understanding. “Social license, spelled with an ‘s’, is a verb – and what we’re talking about requires action by each individual marine farmer and processor. No one can earn it for you. There is no physical licence that’s handed out that can grant you community acceptance,” she said. “Social license is built on trust and must be earned through your behaviour or perceived values. It’s not a once off – it’s a corporate lifestyle choice.” As part of Aquaculture New Zealand’s wider programme to help industry improve certainty around farming in public water space, Dr Brooks was asked to work with a group of industry representatives to plot a road map based on best practice, that the sector can follow to strengthen social license. While the map is quite easy to follow – the journey doesn’t start where most think. “When you break it down, people tend to jump straight to communications. They think ‘we’ll get social

Social license to operate does not start with communicating license if we tell people more, more often, more loudly’. To begin with you need to put that aside and move past it,” she said. “There are three key steps: the first thing is to understand who your stakeholders are and what their values are – why do they believe what they do? “The second, is understand your own values, your own reason why you’re in this business. “And the third step is getting out there and building partnerships and working with people who believe in the same things you do. And this is the journey that

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Kono’s Don Everitt, Sanford’s Alison Undorf-Lay and MFA’s Graeme Coates working together to strengthen social licence. will continue for the life of your business.” It all comes back to a basic question: “why?” “When you talk about stakeholders, it’s important to stop and ask yourself ‘do I actually understand who I’m talking about? Who are they? What do they look like? Where are they? What’s important to them? Why do they say the things they do?,” she said. “You need to know exactly who all of your key stakeholders are and then you need to understand their values. Their ‘why’. “When I talk about finding the why – it’s about understanding ‘why do people object?’ And it’s usually because we haven’t met their expectations and why is that? Usually it’s because we don’t’ know what their expectations are. “But once you begin to understand them, and find some common bases, you can change the whole conversation. “If your why is something they can identify with, then they’ve got a reason to listen to you.” “If you can find one aspect where you have commonality, you’ve got a basis for growth and discussion and building relationships.”

Strong relationships will help the community how you might start to look at your business, and your understand your business, build trust and insulate your relationships with your communities, with your business reputation and brand from future crisis. partners, with your colleagues, your competitors, your The starting point for relationship building is politicians, your councils, all in a different light for a longcapitalising on the social capital in your existing term, mutually beneficial outcome.” networks. “The other key thing to remember is it’s a pathway “Once we have identified our stakeholders and their that’s much smoother if taken together rather than values and worked out where the common ground is – individually.” we need to ask ‘who should I be communicating with? But how should we deal with the 5% of people who And your starting point is the stakeholders who you are against the industry? have the most in common with,” she said. “The worst thing you can do is go into battle with “This is where you look at who you the 5% of industry naysayers in a need to be educating and building public forum, it gives more oxygen understanding with. to them than they potentially deserve,” The worst thing you “You know from the recent public she said perceptions research that 95% of New “The challenge is not to be can do is go into Zealanders are willing to support you. hijacked emotionally by their claims, battle with the 5% of They think you’re in a good business. but to distance yourself from it and industry naysayers “They can become our army of respond in an enquiring manner supporters and promoters. They are the rather than a reactive manner. Use in a public forum, it people that are around us all the time the assets we have in the right ratio – gives more oxygen in our communities but do we know two ears and one mouth. One of the them very well? keys is to keep asking questions and to them than they “By understanding the social capital keep listening. potentially deserve resource we have available through our “It’s important to respect what social networks, it helps you map where they believe and find something in you’re spending your promotional common. If you’ve got nothing in dollars and your time and energy and gives you an idea common, let them go – not everyone is going to like or of different engagement strategies you can employ to agree with us. Allow them to be who they are, you’ve go about building a long term partnership.” got another 95% out there to focus on. And they’re just Once you’ve identified who you’re going to reach waiting to know more about you.” n out to and what you’re going to talk with them about (common values), then it’s time to think about communications. “People talk about communication all the time, and think that it is about telling, and in many industries we focus on telling a lot more – we’ll do more advertising, more marketing and people will buy more and everything will be okay,” she said. “Social license to operate does not start with communicating, it starts with engagement, and that’s a really important point. Social license is about true engagement and walking your talk. “In the words of Einstein ‘one cannot alter a condition with the same mindset that created it in the first place’. “We tend to think, can we just send out a press release, or write a letter to the editor or do something small to get a social license. But to be really successful, you have be prepared to step back, examine yourselves and your business, revaluate exactly where you’re at, and Kate Brooks

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Mussels buoy

Whitianga

like to see as much cooperation and collaboration around production and markets as possible so that everyone benefits.

Q

What benefits will the growth bring to the wider community?

Industry growth supports

local community A

s managing director of OP Columbia, Andrew Selby oversees one of the industry’s largest processing operations.

Q

You originally studied valuation and property management how did you come to work in the aquaculture industry? I worked for 18 months in Auckland as a valuer after spending five years in the meat industry. I did a cadetship where I worked in every department right through the beef and lamb processing spectrum including working on the chain and in head office. The sales and exporting side of the business really appealed to me and I went on to work at L & B Taspac for seven years, focusing on the live lobster trade. I started with OPC in 2002 as Sales and Marketing manager and in 2008 became managing director.

Q

What does OPC stand for?

In the late ‘70s there were two fishing companies left in town. One was Ocean Products and they purchased Columbia Fisheries and became known as OP Columbia, or OPC for short. We started processing mussels in the early 80s and then shortly after I arrived in

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2002, the quota species were sold off and we became 100 per cent focused on aquaculture. We recognised that Greenshell mussels are a sustainable, healthy product, that’re environmentally friendly, unique to New Zealand and have a huge future.

Q

What does the future look like for OPC?

We’re currently targeting 9-10,000 tonnes per season but we’re ambitious and have plans to grow our processing capacity. We have shareholdings with companies that own marine farms and we are actively buying developed and undeveloped water space with a view to increasing supply, and we’ve got land available to expand the factory as the extra volume comes on line.

Q

Do you have any plans to expand beyond the Coromandel region?

Our planning is focused on Coromandel because of the strong growth opportunities it offers the industry. We believe that here is where the industry’s head-room is. It is the country’s second largest marine farming region and its mussel production is expected to double over the next 20 years with new space and improved productivity. At present, Coromandel mussel

farmers produce around 30,000 tonnes, roughly a third of the total industry’s production, from 1480 hectares of developed space. Production is forecast to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2035 as an additional 920 hectares of approved space in Wilson’s Bay and the Western Firth are developed. This will make the region’s mussel industry comparable in size to Marlborough’s and represents a tremendous sustainable growth opportunity for the industry and local community.

Q

What challenges need to be overcome to realise that growth for the region?

We will require significant infrastructure development to manage the increased production, with the current focus on wharfing. The existing Sugarloaf Wharf is already close to maximum capacity and requires a major upgrade to cope with the growing numbers of boats and trucks. The Coromandel Marine Farmers Association has been working with the local council for the past few years to develop a plan and funding model that works for all parties and progress is being made. In the meantime, it remains an impediment to growth. A reliable spat supply also needs to be secured to ensure that current and future needs are met. In recent

years we’ve experienced spat shortages and we need to better understand the contributing factors that affect spat fall, invest in new hatchery capabilities and look for alternative collection sites to reduce reliance on the Ninety Mile Beach. A major issue of concern to our industry surrounds tenure and the uncertainty around consent renewals and a proposed coastal occupancy charge. To protect established farms and encourage new investment, industry needs a clear, enabling framework to bring regulatory certainty. I would like to see the Government take the lead role and pass down central policy so that we have consistency through the regions.

Q

How important is it to grow markets as well as production?

It’s vitally important. The more people consuming our products and recognising the benefits and attributes of Greenshell™ mussels the better for all. But moving forward, it is essential to maintain a focus on value and profitability. There is no point in growing more product if it doesn’t increase our returns. In the coming decades, demand for aquaculture protein will grow and we, as an industry, need to be careful that we grow in balance with it. I’d

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Growth will be a boost for everyone. The downstream benefits are evident and there will be a massive width of benefits to the region and beyond. Aquaculture is already a significant industry imbedded into the life blood of the local economy and community. Future growth will only create more jobs and support other local business. We’re very mindful of the part we play in the local community and with Iwi. OPC is the largest employer in Whitianga, with 180-190 employed at the peak of the season. We’re putting around $4 million in wages directly into the local community every year and we also make it a point to use as many local businesses and services as we can. The industry is hugely important for our town – as you can see it really benefits when we’re in production and it really feels it when we’re not.

Q

The public perceptions research conducted for the Ministry for Primary Industries showed that the Coromandel enjoyed the strongest level of support of all farming regions – why do you think that is?

Mainly I think it’s because aquaculture is such an important part of the community and it’s something that locals can be proud of. The industry is such a large employer in the region, there are many families that rely on aquaculture in one way or another. And each person working in the industry, sees first-hand how it works which naturally improves understanding and support. n

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Techni-col

Aquaculture New Zealand Technical Director Dr Colin Johnston turns the microscope on biosecurity, market assess and technical workshops

e r u t l u Aquac y n o o m b e a d a ac e Bay

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new Golden Bay High School Aquaculture Academy will improve local community support and understanding of the industry while helping prepare and upskill future marine farmers. The academy is a joint initiative between the school and the Marine Farming Association and will give Year 11 and 12 students in the 2015 academic year, and year 13 students from 2016 onwards, the opportunity to study a practical course to prepare them for a career in the industry while contributing to their NCEA requirements. It will also bring the school community a lot closer to the industry, according to MFA Executive Officer Graeme Coates. “The aquaculture industry is a significant and growing employer and contributor to the regional economy in Golden Bay and moving forward we want to be a part of the local community and we want the community to be knowledgeable about marine farming,” he said. “By participating with the college we are educating a new generation of students and showing parents that the industry is a positive and sustainable activity. “It’s all about learning and building community support.” The MFA worked with the school over the past year to develop the programme, which is based on the highly successful Queen Charlotte College (QCC) model, and will be co-ordinating industry involvement going forward. “We’ve developed a long-term business plan and generated interest

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among the community and the wider industry,” Graeme said. “The MFA’s role is not to manage the academy, but to coordinate industry support and funding for the activities of the academy. And to that end, we’ll be asking farmers in Golden Bay to contribute time, spat and equipment for the academy lines.

ABOVE: Kris and Julie Solly

“The response from industry has been unanimously positive. “The MFA has earmarked two lines in stage three of the Golden Bay ring road project which will be donated to the school to fund the programme. In the meantime, we’re hoping to loan a couple of lines from an individual company.” MFA Environment Officer Darren Clarke, who is also a trustee on the school board, has been a key advocate for the programme. “This is good for the school, good for the local community and good for the industry,” Darren said. “There are not many employment

opportunities for local kids who want to stay the region, but aquaculture gives them a rewarding career path to follow without having to leave the region to study at university. “The course will give the kids experience and qualifications in lots of different areas – from earning skippers and diving tickets to hatchery and onwater farming.” The on-water farming component will be supported by local marine farmer Kris Solly who has generously volunteered to host the students on his vessels to work on the lines. “I’m a born and bred Golden Bay boy and I see this as a fantastic way for the industry to give something back to the community,” Kris said. “When I was a kid at school here, I was never an academic but I loved all the practical work. “For me this is an opportunity to share the hands-on learning experiences with other like-minded kids. “This programme will give them a taste of what’s available not just in our industry – but a range of skills that they can use in whatever industry they choose to enter.” School principal Roger File said the programme would be an asset for the school that wouldn’t be possible without the support of the local industry. “Golden Bay has a growing aquaculture industry and it’s a big player in the economy, so we wanted to see our students taking advantage of that and we also wanted to support the growers in the Bay,” he said. “We’re excited to offer this course. It’s a great way to learn. “Who knows where this will lead.” n

Dr Colin Johnston

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liadhna mhath ùr, or for those of you not fluent in Scots gaelic, Happy New Year and welcome to 2015

Biosecurity This year will be important from a biosecurity point of view for industry as a whole. We now have five signatories to the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) deed; the Ministry for Primary Industries, kiwifruit, pork, pipfruit and just recently the equine industry. Just before Christmas, AQNZ sent out the first batch of information on the GIA and we indicated that this year we would be asking you, as levy payers, to vote on whether the salmon, mussel and oyster aquaculture industries should sign up to the GIA deed through AQNZ. There’s also been some work on biosecurity best practice and tools going on in the background with MPI, and we plan to hold a number of workshops around New Zealand covering biosecurity tool options and GIA implications in association with MPI. Keep a look out for dates and locations coming soon. Later in the year you will have the opportunity to vote as an industry whether to sign the GIA deed. This will use the same mechanism as the levy order voting process. Market access Often flowing on from biosecurity findings are market access issues. Last year, following a range and species extension of the parasite Perkinsus olseni, AQNZ helped change international standards on the parasite host range, providing the Pacific oyster industry with live access into new markets. We will continue to provide assistance with MPI where possible on market access issues. Of course, market access goes both ways, and last year AQNZ

The highly successful 2014 Technical Day. LEFT: Kevin Marshall (SIL), Merv Whipp (Ngai Tahu) and Hamish Menzies (Pegasus Bay). BELOW: Cawthron’s Zoe Hilton and Norman Ragg.

together with the New Zealand Salmon Farmers Association worked with MPI to amend interim salmon importation controls. We will continue to keep pressure on in this area this year as the rules are more permanently re-written. AQNZ will remain vigilant regarding import health standards to help protect our valuable industry. Technical days With three very successful Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Series technical days already held in the last 2 years, we plan to keep going with this new initiative. Together with MPI, Cawthron, NIWA, Plant & Food Research and Seafood Innovations, we are working on two more events this year. Further details to follow when it is all tied down, but expect another Technical Day just before the Aquaculture Conference this year. Just as a reminder, conference is being held earlier this year (16-18 September). Keeping with the research theme, AQNZ will be engaging F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 5

and monitoring movements with the proposed New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre (NZFSSRC) to ensure that the valuable outputs from initiatives such as the Safe New Zealand Seafood programme are protected. The efficient use of the mussel spat resource is important to the industry; improving productivity provides financial returns and promotes investor confidence, which is only good for growing the industry. So this year AQNZ is working with a number of other groups to encourage and focus research effort and funds in this important area. n

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FOR�INFORMATION�PLEASE�CONTACT� Mike Mandeno John Gibson Mobile +64 21 548 330 Mobile +64 29 917 7863 DDI +64 4 801 4695 DDI +644 801 4698 [email protected] • www.seafoodinnovations.co.nz

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