September 2015

AquAcultureNEW ZEALAND

The new mark of sustainable aquaculture

Conference preview farming goodness

Good for SouthlandMore than a job

Artisan prideMFA Awards

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 3

Space WatchTwo resource consents covering 3ha of new farming space have been issued since June 2015. In total 98 new applications have been approved for 390ha (including larger off-shore farms) since the 2011 law reforms with a further 30 applications for 805ha currently before regional councils.

Drop the bossIf you’ve ever wanted to push Ted Culley from an aeroplane, this is your chance.

The Sanford general manager of processing has volunteered to skydive as part of the ‘drop the boss’ fundraiser for the Foundation of Youth Development and agreed to let the highest bidder (currently $1,000) physically push him from the plane.

So far Ted has raised more than $7,000.Go to www.givealittle.co.nz to get behind Ted and help give him a push!

Half a degree for freeNMIT is offering ‘half a degree for free’ to enable New Zealand residents to study their three year aquaculture degree while only paying half their tuition fees.

The promotion is open until December 1 for the degree programme which is expected to take 15-20 students for the February enrolment.

All NMIT diploma graduates from the past two years have found work in the industry.

Conference – September 17-18. With inspiring speakers, unparalleled networking opportunities and amazing seafood served at every meal, the 2015 New Zealand Aquaculture Conference is a ‘must-see’ event.

To see the full agenda and register online, go to www.aquaculture.org.nz

Published by

ediTOR: Adam Hicksemail adam.hicks@aquaculture.org.nzWeb www.aquaculture.org.nzddi: +64 (03) 546 2662Mob: +64 (0) 21 244 5166Editorial content compiled by Aquaculture New Zealand.

design: JK Frith Designjkfrith@vodafone.co.nz

AquAculTuRe neW ZeAlAndLevel 1, Wakatu House,Montgomery Square,Nelson 7010New Zealandemail: office@aquaculture.org.nzPhone: 03 548 8944Fax: 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.

September 2015

AquAcultureNEW ZEALAND

The new mark of sustainable aquaculture

Conference preview farming goodness

Good for SouthlandMore than a job

Artisan prideMFA Awards

NewsinBrief

The Saltine Oyster Bar in Jackson, Mississippi, celebrated the US national oyster day by flying in Kiwa oysters which they sold for $9 each, compared to $1 local oysters. “Lauded as some of the best in the world and grown in some of the most pristine waters on the planet. It’s worth every penny for the experience” read their social media posts.

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R&D at Mt CookMt Cook Alpine Salmon will be investing over $300,000 in new product development, operational equipment development and site improvements as part of new R&D programme that has won government backing.

Callaghan Innovation announced last month that it was awarding a funding grant to Mt Cook to help add scale to their R&D programme.

Chief operating officer for Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Janine Tulloch said the company was “thrilled” to receive the grant as R&D was an integral part of their business.

“R&D underpins everything we do,” she said. “We’re developing a culture of continuous improvement and are keen not to simply adopt best practice but to be setting the new benchmarks.”

Regional UpdatesThe hearings process for the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) continues, all AQNZ input has now been finalised. The Hearings Panel is due to report to council in July 2016.

Bay of Plenty is due to release its decisions on the issues raised during hearings on the notified Bay of Plenty Regional Coastal Environment Plan on 1 September. A further appeals process may eventuate after that.

At last new salmon farms in the water

it’s taken four years since they first lodged their application,

but New Zealand King Salmon finally have fish in the water at a new farm.

“It’s a good feeling to be making progress – to get the screw anchors in and pens in the water and to start growing fish,” said NZKS general manager of aquaculture Mark Preece.

“It’s been a long process. We started a long time ago now so to know that in a year’s time we’ll be harvesting fish from our new farm is fantastic.”

The 2 x 40m2 pen farm is currently sited at Forsyth Bay and will be relocated to Waitata, one of three new sites granted through the EPA application process, before Christmas.

“We’ve still got fish in

the water at Waihinau, which is near the Waitata site, and we will wait until we’ve harvested all those fish to give us a clean break before we move in the new farm. We’ll be leaving the Waihinau site fallow for a year as part of our environmental management practices.”

The existing farms at Waihinau will be relocated to the new Ngamahau site in October with farming to begin shortly after.

Both sites will operate in accordance with the world-class Best Management Practices established by NZKS in co-operation with council and community stakeholders.

The final new site, Richmond, is expected to become operational in the next 2-3 years.

GiA workshopsAll levy payers have recently been invited to a series of on-farm biosecurity workshops and Government Industry Agreement discussions at locations around the country.

The aim of the workshop is to promote the availability of practical information for farmers to learn about on-farm biosecurity, and provide a forum for discussion and an update on GIA.

Sustainability championWorld renowned sustainability champion Jonathon Porritt has been confirmed as a presenter at the 2015 New Zealand Aquaculture Conference.

In a coup for the sector, the eminent British writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development will address the conference on the role of aquaculture in a sustainable future.

Maritime nZ manning issueAQNZ are preparing an application to Maritime New Zealand for an across-aquaculture exemption from the new manning requirements for vessels over 24m. Email Environment Manager Rebecca.Clarkson@aqnz.org.nz for more info.

Farmer of the yearClearwater Mussels owner John Young has entered the prestigious 2015 South Island Farmer of the Year Award to help promote the industry to the wider community.

“I want to showcase our industry and what it has done to create opportunities for all sorts of people who work in it,” he said.

John is one of 12 farmers to enter the award offered by Lincoln University, alongside a Canterbury saffron grower and an organic red meat farmer in Southland.

GSSiThe Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) has included AQNZ environment manager Rebecca Clarkson as a member of the GSSI Benchmark Committee. The Benchmark Committee is an integral part of the GSSI Benchmark Process to review the work of the Independent Experts and to give a recommendation to the Steering Board for recognition of Seafood Certification Schemes by GSSI.

This is a good opportunity for AQNZ to maintain an overview and involvement in the development of GSSI without committing funds to official membership. It will also be an opportunity to raise the profile of A+ in the international context.

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Each year the MFA recognises the farmers and participants from across the Top of the South, whose contributions help make our industry

better. This year the winners are:

RECEnt EntRAnt AWARD (showing exceptional passion, commitment and achievement during the first few years in the industry):Ellie Kerrisk: was the recipient of the MFA NMIT Scholarship in 2013 and 2014 and was the top student in both years. She has gone on to work as a hatchery technician where she has been described as “a bundle of energy that shows heaps of initiative and has a fantastic get-stuff-done factor.”

RESEARCH AnD DEvElopMEnt (demonstrating excellence in R&D with measurable outcomes relevant to industry):SpAtnz: After officially opening the state of the art mussel hatchery earlier this year, the significance of SPATnz was well summed up with: “This is a great investment. The initial benefits are expected to be around $80 million a year by 2026 or up to $200 million if the technology is adopted throughout the industry,” commented MPI Deputy Director-General of Sector Partnerships and Programmes Ben Dalton.

EnviRonMEntAl AWARD (outstanding commitment to the environment through advocacy, leadership, best practice or just plain doing it):Hika Rountree and Brian Godsiff: two long standing and respected members of the mussel farming industry who’ve made an outstanding commitment and contribution to the MFA’s Environment Strategy in both the Marlborough Sounds and Golden and Tasman Bays area. They were put forward for the award by a number of members with one describing them as “being in tune with the Sounds environment and will do anything to protect its sustainability for future generations.”

oUtStAnDinG MARinE FARMER (for making a significant contribution to the marine farming industry in the Top of the South over the past year):Scott Madsen: together with his partner Penny Fredericks are growing approximately 4,500t of mussels and employ 15 staff. This is a huge achievement for an individual farmer who originally got started by buying the family vessel to contract harvest 300t from 6 farms. He has worked tirelessly over the past decade to build his business and now farms over 1,000 hectares across the Top of the South.

MERit AWARD (for making a significant and beneficial difference to the marine farming industry over a sustained period of time):Andrea Strang: started as a marine biologist with Sealord Shellfish in 1996 with a focus on “all things spat.” She was charged with developing the critical nursery stage to support Sealord’s early hatchery venture and went on to become the first person to produce commercial volumes of nursery reared spat as well as developing the Cotton Reel deployment system. She remains involved in the industry today, utilising her skills counting, at times, huge numbers of spat on sample ropes from Golden and Tasman Bays. national direction

for aquacultureNatural Resource Sector Business Growth Agenda ministers have agreed that the development of national direction under the RMA for aquaculture should be a priority.

National direction would change the provisions in regional coastal plans to help councils and industry manage aquaculture better and more consistently across the country, while supporting better environmental outcomes and community confidence in the industry. The key issue national direction would address is improving re-consenting certainty and efficiency.

A reference group has been established to provide advice and recommendations to central government agencies on the development of national direction, with experts identified from industry (including AQNZ), council and TOKM.

technical dayFollowing its hugely successful debut last year, the Technical Day will again precede the aquaculture conference, on September 16 at the Rutherford Hotel, Nelson.

This event will fill up fast and attendance will be strictly limited to those who register prior to the event. Go to www.aquaculture.org.nz to register or see Techni-Col (page 14) for more information.

Keep your eye out for the new Sanford logo.

2015 Marine Farming Association awards

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New Zealand’s Greenshell mussels are going greener. So are the King salmon and

Pacific oysters.A new environmental programme

is set to be launched at the New Zealand Aquaculture Conference later this month to help cement the local industry’s reputation as a global leader of sustainability.

“The ‘A+’ programme, is a world-leading sustainable management framework which enables the New Zealand aquaculture industry to better engage with our communities and markets on our sustainability achievements and goals for the future,” said Aquaculture New Zealand (AQNZ) environment manager Rebecca Clarkson who has led the development of the programme.

“We’re already a really sustainable industry, and New Zealand’s mussels, salmon and oysters are already recognised among the world’s most

the new mark ofsustainable aquaculture

Furthermore, the framework formalises a cycle of continuous review and improvement and provides a great platform for the community and industry to engage on their sustainability aspirations.

The industry has been quick to embrace the opportunity to showcase its green credentials with 390 mussel farms, 58 oyster farms and 15 salmon farms already signed up to the programme.

Coromandel mussel farmer Jake Bartrom said A+ would give farmers a practical tool to help win the support of communities.

“Our aquaculture industry is one of the most efficient and most environmentally friendly forms of protein production on the planet,” Jake said.

“That’s partly because of the species we farm and our natural environment - but it’s also because of the careful way we farm them.

sustainable seafoods. A+ builds on that by raising our environmental standards higher and clearly demonstrating to kiwis and customers around the world that our products are environmentally friendly, premium quality and raised in a pristine environment.”

Marine farmers who join the A+ programme will be operating to world class environmental best practice, and monitoring their performance against a wide range of criteria including, ecology, water quality, waste, resources, food safety, Iwi participation and community interaction.

The results are recorded in an online data base called ecoPortal and the information supplied from all farms will be added together and published through the A+ website to give the public a live and continuous window on the collective industry’s performance.

Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Global Aquaculture Alliance.

“Across the globe salmon farming is being increasingly recognised for its light environmental touch, and independent authorities recognise New Zealand is out in front leading the way with best practice,” said New Zealand King Salmon’s farm manager Mark Preece.

“A+ takes us a step further, strengthening our management practices so that all New Zealand marine farmers who meet the A+ standards, will also be meeting

the objectives of major third-party certification schemes.

“This will become increasingly more important as most major seafood distributers around the world move to only accept independently certified sustainable seafood.”

To ensure the integrity of the information published through the A+ website, the programme also includes third-party auditing that will see independent inspectors assessing compliance of farms.

MPI Deputy Director-General Sector Partnerships and Programmes Ben Dalton said providing information the public can trust was a fundamental part of the framework.

“A+ sets very high and very clear operating standards and then holds the industry publicly accountable to them,” Mr Dalton said.

“The auditing process is a key part of the programme as it will see independent inspectors visit farms to verify the accuracy of the data. The end result will be a true and accurate account of the industry’s performance that people can trust.

“This will be a very important tool for strengthening community support and understanding and reinforcing the industry reputation for supremely sustainable seafood.”

For decades New Zealand’s aquaculture industry has been producing an ‘A’ game. Now it’s time to step that up to an A+. n

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5 7

“We’ve been telling the world for years about our environmental practices. But it’s no longer enough to just say it, you have to be able to back it up and A+ is about proving to New Zealand and the world that we are doing a good job.”

A+ is the result of a three-year joint industry-Government programme, developed in response to growing demand for transparency around the environmental and social costs of food production.

“I think it’s a positive thing that people are concerned about our marine environment and want to know the facts,” said Mahurangi oyster farmer Andrew Hay.

“It gives us the opportunity to tell our story and build trust with our neighbours and consumers.

“As marine farmers, we are guardians of these waters. It’s our job to help protect it.

“A+ helps us do that, by giving us the tools to measure our performance and highlight the things we do well and the things we can improve on while giving the public the ability to easily monitor that performance.”

As part of the development of the programme, AQNZ consulted extensively with the wider industry and revised all three species environmental codes of practice so that the local industry’s objectives meet or exceed those prescribed in respected certification programmes like the WWF initiated

iMPLEMENTIndustry implements

the best practice operational procedures

REviEwAQNZ regularly reviews the SMF to ensure it reflects best practice

REsEaRchAQNZ and industry

identify and action key research opportunities to innovate and improve

REPORTAQNZ reports trends in

industry performance and highlights general areas for

further improvement

chEcKAQNZ coordinates

third party audits of a percentage of farms

each year

assEssFarmers use the

environmental checklists to assess performance against key indicators

How it works

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5 98

Now in its 8th year, the annual New Zealand Aquaculture Conference has become an essential forum for aligning industry goals and providing knowledge, inspiration and tools to realise opportunities and overcome challenges.

In 2015, we focus on a resilient and prosperous sector farming goodness.

Top 5 reasons why you should be there!1Powerhouse presentations

Each speaker has been handpicked to provide industry with ideas, tools and

inspiration to be a resilient and prosperous sector farming goodness.

“The programme includes a wide range of speakers from across primary industry in New Zealand and abroad to explore topics around: confidence to invest, adding value in market, social license, innovation and capability, Iwi participation, protecting and enhancing productivity,” said Aquaculture New Zealand CEO Gary Hooper.

With presentations from Prime Minister John Key, Jonathon Porritt (Forum for the Future), Volker Kuntzsch (Sanford), Joe Bennett (Author), Jon Manhire (AgriBusiness Group), Mark Solomon (Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu), Phil O’Reilly (BusinessNZ), Prof Paul Moughan (Riddet Institute), Rob Hewett (Silver Fern Farms), and Carl-Erik Arnesen (Firda Seafood,

Norway) the 2015 programme is set to be the best yet.

2 Indulgent seafood (at every meal)While the quality of the speakers make

it a must-see event, the quality of the food makes it a must-taste experience.

“An integral part of our conference is serving up a showcase at every meal of what makes New Zealand’s farmed seafood the world’s best,” Gary said.

Stroll down Oyster Alley and feast on seven types of freshly shucked oysters, served up by the people who farmed them.

Take a right down Salmon Street for a suite of styles of locally farmed salmon prepared by the country’s top sushi chefs, then head over to Mussel Row for a selection of mussel favourites.

Now feast on a plethora of farmed seafood

dishes at every meal during the event and you’ve got a taste of why the 2015 New Zealand Aquaculture Conference will be an event to be savoured.

3Unparalleled networkingIf you want to participate in or do business with the New Zealand

aquaculture sector – you need to be at the conference.

The event attracts over 300 delegates from around New Zealand, making it the industry’s largest annual gathering.

“The conference has become a must-do event on the seafood calendar because of the wide range of industry contributors that it attracts,” Gary said.

“As well as a large representation from aquaculture and seafood companies, there is a strong presence from a host of other sectors including research, policy, finance, transport,

packaging, and equipment manufacturers. “It’s the perfect platform for strengthening

key relationships and making new contacts.”

4Technical dayThe 2015 event will again run in conjunction with a dedicated

Technical Day on September 16.The Technical Day brings the scientific

community together with the relevant industry representatives to dissect technical aspects and align research priorities with industry needs.

5Simply the bestWith inspiring and entertaining guest speakers, unparalleled networking

opportunities, and a culinary showcase of our aquaculture products, the 2015 New Zealand Aquaculture Conference is the country’s best primary sector conference.

For full event details and to register, go to www.aquaculture.org.nz/farming-goodness

September 17-18, Rutherford Hotel, Nelson.2015 New Zealand Aquaculture Conference

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S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5 11

More than a job

Stewart Island• 23 full time aquaculture jobs • Total SI population 378• Supports 10 local businesses, creates an

additional 8 jobs • 75 % of industry employees involved in

community organisations including: volunteer fire service, golf club, SIRET, community centre, Community Trust, early childhood centre

• Financially contributes to Kiwi Can, early childhood centre, local school

• Supplies product for fundraisers and events• Helped build community centre and

supports 30% of on-going costs

Kara Foai, factory supervisor, Bluff:I’m originally from Bluff and I started with Sanford over 13 years ago as mussel opener, before that I worked in the local supermarket.

I’ve had friends that have tried to get me out of Bluff but I don’t need to go anywhere.

I know they have a great laugh about us up in Auckland, because they think we’re pretty much all related, but we’re not. Although my sister Miriona is a supervisor over on the, fish factory.

We do a lot of fundraisers among ourselves, like parties, band nights, hangis or cheese rolls sales. I’m actually getting ready to go to a fund raiser tonight for a Bluffie who’s been hit with some bad news so we’re all getting together at the rugby club and making cheese rolls to sell for her.

A new MPI study on ‘The Social and Community Effects of Aquaculture’ in Southland has shown that workers from within the aquaculture industry punch well above their weight when it comes to volunteering for vital community services on Stewart Island and Bluff.

While the industry provides 23 jobs on Stewart Island, 75% of the workers volunteer their time to work in community organisations like the local fire service or the community centre.

“It’s about giving back really and being a responsible member of my community,” explained salmon farmer Matt Hare who is also a volunteer fire fighter.

It’s a similar story in Bluff where the 77 people employed in processing farmed seafood for Sanford are over represented in civic service. While accounting for about 5 per cent of the local population, aquaculture workers make up about 20 per cent of local fire service volunteers, 16 per cent of Coastguard volunteers and 7 per cent of Ambulance volunteers.

Remarkably, Sanford supports their staff to deliver these critical services by allowing them to attend emergency call outs and training days without docking pay.

“There’s four of us in the factory that

employment, but to look after the people. “Our values focus on integrity and caring and part of that is recognising that the people who work for us are our greatest asset,” Warren said.

“The reason why we support staff and a host of other things, is because we feel very strongly that we are part of the community and being part of a

also volunteer with the fire brigade. I’ve been doing it for 19 years and if the whistle goes off, I’m allowed to leave, no questions asked,” said factory processing manager Seth Ramsay.

It’s about supporting the community that supports you, said Sanford Bluff processing manager Warren Crighton.

“We have a huge responsibility for the community, not just to provide

Bluff• 77 jobs processing aquaculture products • 70 employees live locally• Supports 9 local businesses, creates 30

additional jobs • Total Bluff population 1794• Employees volunteer for fire service (5),

coastguard (6) and ambulance (1) and respond to emergencies and training without loss of pay

• Donates products for fundraising and events• Let fire service use cool room for training• Prints a community newsletter • Only one community organisation does not

have an aquaculture rep

Jeff Dawson, harvest supervisor, Stewart Island:I’m a 5th generation Islander, my kids will be the 6th. The Island will always be home to me. It’s got a good laid back style of life. No crime. Everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other. Good old fashioned Kiwi values.

My wife is originally from America. She was backpacking around Stewart Island when we met and now she’s the early childhood teacher here.

I first started in aquaculture on school holidays working as a casual on the Mussel farm, then after I finished school I came back to the Island and stared working on the salmon farm.

Aquaculture is good industry. It’s sustainable, good for the environment, you know that you’re job is secure and they industry gives back to the community.

Allan Dawson, salmon farmer, Lions club member, Stewart Island:We’ve been tied up with the sea all our lives.

I first started with salmon farming over 25 years ago but then I left and spent about 14 years as the skipper on the ferry. I came back a couple of years ago now to spend more time with my wife and this job gets home each night in time to look after her.

I wouldn’t think there’d be anyone in the community against the industry. Most can see it’s necessary. It came along when fishing was going through the doldrums and you could see aquaculture was going to be a way for things to happen in the future. Any jobs that became available were a god send if you wanted to stay on the island.

Emma Kini, office manager, Bluff:I’m originally from Bluff and after finishing school I went on an OE for about 9 years before I moved back for family reasons.

I volunteer as the secretary treasurer for the Rural Fire Brigade and my husband Jack is a volunteer fireman. It’s a good way to get involved in the community and help out. Emergency services are a 30 minute drive away from Invercargill so it can literally be a matter of life and death. It’s something Sanford are very supportive of. They’re a big employer in the community and they believe they have to support the community. A lot of our workers live here so it’s important to make sure they can survive. If there are call outs during the day, there’s never any question, the guys just go.

Matt Hare, assistant harvest supervisor, Stewart Island:I grew up on the Island. My grandparents used to farm here and dad was one of the original salmon farmers at Glory Bay. I’ve been with Sanford for about 4-and-a-half years, and before that I worked for DoC.

I’m just about to build a house and I’ve got a 2-and-a-half year old toddler so I’ll be with Sanford for at least 10 more years.

I’m a volunteer with the fire brigade and a trustee with the Stewart Island/Rakiura Community Environment Trust. My partner volunteers with us as well, checking rat traps and monitoring kiwi and mutton birds.

Salmon farming seems to be a good thing. I come from a background as a greenie, and I’m very passionate about my island.

Rhys Ferguson, shipping co-ordinator and inventory control, Bluff:My parents are from Bluff and I’ve lived here most of my life. I’ve been with Sanford here for about 10 years. Before that I was working on deep sea trawlers but after I had a family I took a job on land so that I could be closer to the family.

I’ve always loved the sea. I grew up in the sea scouts and after I finished working at sea I wanted to keep involved on the water and use my skills to help others so I joined the Coastguard. I’ve been doing it for about 10 years now and I’ve just been signed off to be a skipper.

There’s not a lot of us in the unit but it does offer a vital service. We don’t get a lot of call outs like the fire brigade or the ambulance, but when we’re called out, it’s usually something pretty big.

Seth Ramsay, factory processing manager, Bluff:I’ve lived on the Bluff for 45 years. I don’t like cities. I’m a butcher by trade but I just came here because it was local and that’s where I’m from. I’ve stayed this long because I’m the middle boy of three and I’m the one that’s left to look after our mum.

I started with Sanford as a casual and worked my way up through the ranks.

There’s four of us in the factory that also volunteer with fire brigade. I’ve been doing it for 19 years and if the whistle goes off I’m allowed to leave, no questions asked. We’ve actually done some search drills here on site before.

Sanford looks after the community. They’re a big part of our town and they want to support the locals.

Warren Crighton, site manager, Bluff:Most of my career has been in the meat industry as a government inspector before I came back to Sanford in 2005.

We’re the biggest employer in Bluff. The majority of our staff all come from Bluff and they’re a pretty tight-knit community – they don’t seem to like to go out of Bluff. We’ve got workers here coming up to 30 years of service. It’s a small community and being by the coast, fishing is a large part of it and everyone knows what’s going on especially in regards to seafood. It’s a seafood town.

The reason why we support staff to volunteer for the fire brigade, ambulance and Coastguard and host of other things, is because we feel very strongly that we are part of the community.

Being a Bluffie or an Islander means being a part of something.

“This is a beautiful community. It’s a close community. We all have each other’s back and that’s something we can all be proud of,” explains Sanford processing supervisor Kara Foai.

“We all stick together and if anyone’s in trouble, they would all come as a team and help off their own backs. You don’t have to ask.”

That goes for the local aquaculture industry too.

community is contributing to the well-being of it.”

As well as backing staff, Sanford also make a range of direct contributions to support community projects like significant financial support for the local Kiwi Can programme, providing access to facilities, printing a community newsletter and even donating an old salmon farm to serve as the permanent pontoon for the Coastguard.

The research was commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of an on-going effort to better understand the wider impacts of the sector.

“Although it is clear that aquaculture provides employment, MPI wants to better understand the impact on the wider supply chain, what corporate responsibility looks like in the aquaculture industry and what the social effects of aquaculture employment has on local communities,” said MPI director of aquaculture, growth and innovation Kathy Mansell.

“The results of this report are extremely encouraging by clearly illustrating the very positive social impact that the aquaculture industry is having on these communities.”

The research, which included interviews with 66 local businesses and

The people Behind The indusTry Behind The communiTy

Southland aquaculture130 staff, also showed the industry had a positive influence on workers with an increase in self respect, an increase in income compared to previous jobs and a range of new skills.

“We are very proud to be making such a positive contribution in Southland. When the Ministry invited us to be part of this study we saw it as an opportunity to get an independent measure of the community’s acceptance of Sanford’s Bluff and Stewart Island businesses,” said Sanford chief operating officer Greg Johansson.

“Beyond the jobs and money injected into the Southland economy, we are proud our staff are able to help maintain vital social services. Having our staff work with organisations like these and being able to make a direct contribution to school programmes is a really satisfying way to help these communities.”

But perhaps the clearest conclusion is that aquaculture is a valued and essential part of the fabric of the Stewart Island and Bluff communities.

“I think of Sanford as a family,” said Kara. “Sanford has been great for our community. More than just having jobs, I don’t know we’re we’d be without Sanford.” n

Good for the community, good for Southland

s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5 13

QWhat is the Coastal and Freshwater Group and

how is it different to Cawthron’s aquaculture programmes?Cawthron scientists work extensively in the aquaculture space – from production right through to protection of growing waters. The Aquaculture Group focuses on the production side

of things and adding value through selective breeding, animal health, improved farming systems, and hatchery technology. Scientists within the Coastal and Freshwater Group focus on the environmental side such as monitoring and the quality of growing waters. About 25% of our coastal and freshwater work is connected to aquaculture in some way.

Q Is it fair to say the monitoring work is overshadowed by the

production based research?Production is at the business end

of the industry and we’re working more behind the scenes so it’s always going to have a lower profile – but that doesn’t make it any less important. When done well and in line with broader efforts, environmental monitoring can help the industry realise its potential in ‘a sea of uncertainty’. How do we achieve that $1 billion target? Production is one thing and rightly, a lot of effort goes into improving production. But the science we do can also help the industry grow, protect their assets and increase certainty, not just around accessing space, but the quality of space.

QSo how can science help realise that potential?

The industry’s potential is huge…but there are some barriers that science can help overcome, particularly around increasing the understanding of aquaculture and environmental interactions. One day soon, the industry will be able to forecast shellfish quality and gauge optimal harvest times on the fly. We are now beginning to see the emergence

of dynamic ocean management, whereby real-time data and

predictive models will give farmers information today

about what’s going to happen tomorrow

or even next year. We need to start

thinking about how the marine farmer can have similar tools to those available to land farmers. It’s not just about knowing when it’s safe to harvest, but when mussels are going to be fattest, or knowing there’s going to be a drop in water temperature and they may lose condition. One day soon, thanks to science, farmers will use apps on their phone to tell them when and where a blue mussel spat fall is likely to happen, or if there’s a high risk of disease or biological invasion present.

QDoes this mean more monitoring for industry?

No, not at all. Scientific advancements and better integration will mean less monitoring. In the future aquaculture farmers won’t be the only ones doing the monitoring. They’ll be one participant in a network of stakeholders that keep a finger on the pulse of the environment. The future should see the aquaculture industry doing less monitoring, but getting better knowledge to plan and respond. We’re seeing councils, as well as other industries, investing significant resources in this area and we need to develop monitoring programmes that integrate with what aquaculture is doing, so that it’s a win-win for everyone.

QDo you think science can be a useful tool in improving

public opinion of the industry?The way science can help is by pulling back the veneer and contextualising for the public what the actual footprint of the industry is, and allowing people to compare aquaculture with other industries and things happening in the ocean. We’ve been monitoring the effects of aquaculture for over 20 years, and we have a very good understanding of how an individual farm affects the environment….when done in the right place with the right practises it is a very productive way to produce protein with minimal environmental impact. In some cases you could even come up with systems that actually help restore the environment.

The other element of it is we need to shift focus from individual farms to the bigger picture and look at the cumulative effects of all activities on the environment. It’s important that people don’t miss the bigger things that are going on in the wider ecosystem. n

QWhat is Firda Seafood?Firda is a fully integrated,

medium sized salmon and trout farming company that has been operating in Norway since 1986. We have 14 farms, four smolt facilities, a harvesting facility and we employ around 130 people.

QHow does Firda’s relatively modest size affect your

ability to compete with the world’s biggest producers?We have developed a model, which is unique among Norwegian salmon producers, where we focus on exporting to countries outside of the EU. We are betting on the spot market and 90 per cent of our exports go to the Far East such as China, Japan and also Eastern Europe like Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.

Every week is the same procedure. We send out messages on Thursday about what we can offer, the quantity and size and Friday is the big sale day - a bidding war from dawn to dusk. It’s a bit like a chess game with strategies and negotiations between the buyer and seller each Friday as the kilo price of salmon and trout fluctuates from week to week.

Q Why Russia?Russia is an emerging market.

A few years ago salmon and trout were considered luxury items but the explosion in popularity of sushi has seen them very quickly become regular items on restaurant menus. Each week we are sending around 20 trucks of fish to St Petersburg. Last year, Russia imported around 12,000 tonnes and about half of that came from Firda. Customers were asking for it by name and I am touched when I walk around the huge hypermarkets

and see the “Firda’ fish. However, this situation was dramatically changed when the embargo on trade between Russia and western countries took place from August 2014. Now the other east European and Asian markets have been of greater importance.

Q Your background is in biology and raising fish – how

involved are you in the day-to-day operations of the farms?I like to keep involved in the on-water aspects of the business and funnily enough one day we were working on a sea-lice research project when I took a call from a colleague at another company and he said “you’re out counting the lice and you are the CEO! What kind of a hotdog stand are you driving?”

And I answered ‘I’m driving a highly profitable hot dog stand with a turnover of half-a-billion dollars.

But in all seriousness, my computer and iPhone are the main tools I use these days and I’m regularly working in the car, in my boat, on the ferry and on the farm. I sometimes negotiate $150,000 sales agreements by SMS.

Q How did you get involved in aquaculture?

It probably started when I was 16 when I got a summer job as a horse herder. While my friends were backpacking in the ‘70s, I was alone in the mountains. The job also involved

some fish rearing in freshwater and my interest was ignited from there.

Q How do you respond to public opposition to salmon farming

in Norway?We often receive criticism over lice, escapes and pollution and we have become world champions at keeping our heads down because if we try to explain and deepen our vision, we are accused of blaming others, or not taking the problems seriously. It’s annoying to always meet such resistance when we know that we are producing the world’s healthiest foods in a sustainable manner.

Q Do you have trouble attracting skilled staff?

Recruitment can be a challenge because many think they are entering a war zone if they choose the aquaculture industry, but it’s the world’s most exciting and versatile profession. We are very lucky at Firda to have a stable and accomplished team. Almost all of our employees have a certificate in aquaculture and we have also set up a separate education program in cooperation with the Norwegian Seafood Centre. There are also signs that the attitude towards fish farming is changing to the positive. But we have a job to do. It is 22 years since there was any use of antibiotices in Norwegian salmon farming, and still educated people in Norway believe we are pouring this out. n

Q&As

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Chris Cornelisen, Cawthron Institute Coastal and Freshwater manager

Carl-Erik Arnesen, CEO of Norwegian producer, Firda Seafood

Farming Russia

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Photo: Camilla Waage

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S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 5 15

Technical Day September 16, Rutherford Hotel.

It’s conference time again! I can’t wait to hear from this year’s stunning line up and taste the

amazing seafood on offer. And then there’s the cocktail function – the freshest oysters, salmon and mussels all expertly prepared and set off by a glass or two of bubbles. No wonder it’s considered the best primary industry conference in the country.

Of course, one of the best parts of the event is the dedicated Technical Day held on the day before conference begins. This year it’s very generously sponsored with naming rights by EWOS and promises a wide-ranging line up of 21 expert speakers, six of whom are from overseas, with insights into aquaculture in other hemispheres, other species and other systems.

Applying science and driving innovation is something that every sector can improve at, and we have

Jason Cleaversmith of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre to explore the issue.

We also welcome two speakers from the world-respected Institute of Aquaculture in Stirling, Professor Herve Migaud and Stefano Carboni, to share insights on emerging aquaculture species and marine invertebrate hatcheries.

Kathleen Hofman from Plant & food Research will explain how the management of an aquatic species can impact on the quality and functionality of any co-products derived from it in post-harvest processing.

After lunch we will split into two streams focusing on fish and invertebrates, to allow more topics to be explored in greater detail. Topics include snapper, functional feeds, hatchery feeds, nutritional implications of elevated environmental conditions, food quality

and temperature choices in mussels, latest food safety updates and the use of new molecular techniques as tools for the farmer.

Rebecca Clarkson of AQNZ will introduce the industry’s exciting new A+ sustainable management framework which includes revised codes of practice for the three species and an on-line self-reporting system.

The New Zealand Salmon Farmers Association will hold their meeting for members in the final session of the day, with mainly an oyster-centric alternative for the non-salmon farmer.

The day finishes with a networking opportunity, catered with a few drinks and nibbles courtesy of all our sponsors – EWOS, NIWA, Ministry for Primary Industries, Cawthron, Plant & Food Research, Seafood New Zealand and Aquaculture New Zealand.

Registration and the full programme at www.aquacutlure.org.nz n

Dr Colin Johnston

Techni-col

FUNDING�AVAILABLEFOR�SEAFOOD�INDUSTRY�RESEARCH�PROJECTS

FOR�INFORMATION�PLEASE�CONTACT�

Mike MandenoMobile +64 21 548 330 DDI +64 4 801 4695

John GibsonMobile +64 29 917 7863DDI +644 801 4698

enquiries@seafoodinnovations.co.nz • www.seafoodinnovations.co.nz

FUNDING�AVAILABLEFOR�SEAFOOD�INDUSTRY�RESEARCH�PROJECTS

FOR�INFORMATION�PLEASE�CONTACT�

Mike MandenoMobile +64 21 548 330 DDI +64 4 801 4695

John GibsonMobile +64 29 917 7863DDI +644 801 4698

enquiries@seafoodinnovations.co.nz • www.seafoodinnovations.co.nz

o c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 16

We know water inside out

From detailed analysis to applied science on (or in) the water, Cawthron scientists are here to help.

www.cawthron.org.nz

Cawthron scientists are the water experts. We know the rivers, lakes and seas of New Zealand from microscopic detail through to the big picture of how human activity affects our aquatic resources — and what can be done to protect them.

We are specialists in:

- Marine ecology- Land –sea connections- Effects assessment and monitoring- Biosecurity- Advanced molecular technologies