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Aquaculture
Introduction
Latest news
- New aquaculture initiatives announced [22 July 2008]
- Aquaculture Planning Fund first funding round for 2008/09 now open [31 March 2008]
- Five-point plan to support aquaculture development - Fisheries Minister [7 June 2007]
- Substantial funds for aquaculture goes to regions - Environment Minister [7 June 2007]
Aquaculture, or marine farming, is a $315 million industry in New Zealand. Our most well known farmed species is the green-lipped mussel, but oysters, salmon and other species, such as paua (abalone) and seaweed, are also being farmed around New Zealand.
Aquaculture relies on unpolluted, nutrient-rich and sheltered waters. There are relatively few places where marine farming can occur – and often these are areas also popular for other activities. More recently, there has been interest in more exposed large offshore marine farms.
The aquaculture industry went through a boom period during the late 1990s, and demand for suitable coastal space increased fivefold. This growth in demand placed regional and unitary councils, other coastal users, and the community, under increasing pressure.
Attempts to minimise local or cumulative environmental effects resulted in bottlenecks, delays and high costs in processing applications for new marine farms, local moratoria, submitter fatigue and poor environmental outcomes. Marine farmers, local communities, and the government wanted change.
The passing of the Aquaculture Reform Act in late 2004 introduced a new regime for managing the environmental effects of aquaculture.
These pages provide information on the aquaculture reforms, including what they mean for local government, the aquaculture industry and the community.
These pages also provide information on what is being done to support local government in its new role. This programme is led by the Ministry for the Environment, in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation.
Pages in this section
- Aquaculture reform
What the aquaculture reforms mean for local government, the aquaculture industry and communities - Implementation programme
Details on what’s happening to help implement the aquaculture reforms - Regional projects
Details of new aquaculture projects aimed at progressing aquaculture planning and enabling greater use and flexibility of existing aquaculture space
Contact
You can contact the team by emailing aquaculture@mfe.govt.nz.
Photos used in the aquaculture pages are provided by Graeme Silver, Gisborne District Council (now at Environment Waikato), and Graham Caradus, Tasman District Council.
