ISSUE 13 n SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 $5.

00

The benefits of
PAUA RESEEDING
CONTENTS

7 10 14

3 EDITORIAL
Coastal waters could yield rich rewards

4 NEWS
A look at whats happening in the industry

6 PAUA RESEEDING THE BUSINESS BENEATH THE SURFACE

Suitable sites critical for juveniles to thrive

8 AMA OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BAY OF PLENTY

Regional council maps out aquaculture future

10 FROM SHELLSHOCKED TO WORLDS BEST

Sydney oysters are a community partnership

11 BILLION DOLLAR GOAL FOR AQUACULTURE

Strategy the first step down a new path ISSUE 13
n SEPTEM
BER/OC
TOBER
2006

$5.00

12 DANISH TECHNOLOGY BEHIND KINGFISH

FARM FAILURE
Northland farm was riddled with design faults

14 A PERSPECTIVE ON THE MARITIME

ENVIRONMENT AND FARMING ON THE COVER:
Public has to be convinced of industrys value The business of
reseeding paua

PHOTO BY:
Cawthron Institute

PAUA RTEheSbenefits of
EEDING

EDITOR: ADVERTISING:
Keith Ingram Hamish Stewart
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ISSN 1176-5402 ISSN 1176-8657 (web) Mark Barratt-Boyes Rachel Walker
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2 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
 EDITORIAL

COASTAL WATERS
could yield rich rewards
BY KEITH INGRAM

he tide may have at last turned for the struggling two paua sniffer dogs to help officers battle against paua

T New Zealand aquaculture industry with the

governments recent acknowlegement of the
important contribution this low-profile sector of our marine
thieves.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council
has called for a ban on the private export of wild-caught paua
industry makes to the economy. by non-New Zealand nationals. Recreational fishers have clearly
In a number of recent addresses, the Minister of Fisheries, identified that poachers can easily destroy valuable paua
Jim Anderton, recognised the industrys efforts to broaden reseeding efforts if we dont work together to stop these
opportunities for New Zealand. thieves.
Clearly he has recognised that New Zealand offers one of Another interesting potential resource recently came to light
the best environments for aquaculture in the world.We are an over how we can benefit from the settlement of wild puerulus
island nation with strong ocean currents from the Southern (the larvae of baby crayfish, or rock lobster) on our deep or
Ocean, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean that contain open-water mussel farms.
some of the richest nutrients in the world.When we look at These little critters fall from mussel ropes during
the production we are achieving from the limited allocated servicing or harvesting and are washed over the side,
water space, if the government and local authorities could where they are either eaten by fish or settle on the muddy
double this space, the aquaculture industry could more than bottom and die.
double its output. If we harvested these little fellas in a shared fishery project,
It is acknowledged worldwide that our wild fish stocks will the industry could on-grow these small rock lobsters to
no longer be able to sustain the current demands for marketable size.
seafood at their present levels. Already many previously A percentage could be released to reseed or enhance
popular species are no longer available, and many existing crayfish-depleted habitats of importance to recreational
species are in serious decline. As our world population fishing.This could be a win-win situation, and another
grows, discerning consumers are placing greater emphasis on example where working together in a shared fishery could
seafood as a quality product for the table. Nothing Ive just prove a success.
said is new to any of us. We need government approval for this to happen, something
Clearly, the only way we are going to meet these future that hopefully this minister will pick up on and initiate.
demands is by sustainable aquaculture management of both In closing, we have to make a final plea to Biosecurity New
finfish and shellfish. Zealand. Please, as the countrys marine biosecurity controller,
In his address to the paua industry conference, Anderton do something positive to stop the continuing influx of marine
highlighted our industrys commitment to reseeding paua in invaders into our local waters.
coastal areas to enhance the fishery to meet future Stop the arrival of bulk carriers which cannot change their
demands. He acknowledged the risk of paua theft and the ballast water en route. Stop the arrival of extremely fouled hulls.
damage that poachers could do in destroying this valuable Lets all take a proactive stance in preventing these illegal aliens
resource. from destroying the pristine New Zealand waters we value so
He showed his commitment to improving compliance and highly.The number of recent invaders is too high to list.
policing the illegal paua trade routes with the introduction of There is a message here.We need to act now.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 3
NEWS

BOOST FOR oyster spat from the wild from spat-catching mussels required to give Sealord the
TASMAN OYSTERS to ongrowing areas within the industry. confidence to grow the business.
Scientific expertise and local fishing knowledge The project is jointly funded by COMC In 1996 the two companies formed a joint
are both being used to help improve the and the Foundation for Research, Science venture to integrate farm servicing, harvesting,
productivity of Tasman Bay oysters. and Technology. processing and marketing.
Nelson is the second home of the New EBA will continue to be run as a subsidiary
Zealand native flat oyster, also known as the SEA SQUIRT FOUND business but will be wholly owned by
Bluff or dredge oyster.The quality of the ON NELSON VESSEL Sealord. Pooley will continue part-time for at
premium oysters gathered in Tasman Bay is Biosecurity New Zealand is investigating the least two years.
high, but recent landing quantities have been detection of a single adult Styela clava, or sea
described as rather poor. squirt, on the hull of a commercial fishing SALMON FARM
The scientists from the National Institute of vessel in Nelson on July 19. REFLOATED
Water and Atmospheric Research have joined The sea squirt was most likely picked up in NZ King Salmon says it successfully returned
with the Challenger Oyster Management Nelson, because the vessel had been berthed its Te Pangu floating farm to its Tory Channel
Company to develop techniques to enhance there unused for almost nine months, said a site on June 7 following the mooring slippage
the productivity of the fishery. senior marine adviser, Brendan Gould.This in early March.
They are trialing the use of waste scallop, raises the possibility that there may be a small The investigation into the mishap revealed
oyster and mussel shells as substrate for population in Nelson, he said. that a range of factors was involved which
oyster spat to settle and grow on, says Russell Biosecurity New Zealand is to survey the caused excessive pressure on one section of
Mincher of COMC.The results so far have area where the vessel was berthed. moorings.The array of 31 moorings, both
provided vital information about oyster block and screw anchors, did not evenly
reproductive biology, including when and SEALORD TAKES OVER spread the load and this resulted in the failure
where oyster larvae are present and available ELAINE BAY of some initial mooring lines.
for settlement.Our experiments have shown Rob Pooley of Elaine Bay Aquaculture stood This allowed the farm to skew across the
significantly increased spat settlement on shell down as general manager on June 30 and has prevailing current, increasing the mooring load
reefs placed on the seabed, says Mincher. sold his shares to the Sealord Group.The two with a cantilever effect and resulting in a
The research will now focus on determining companies have worked together for 17 years. cascade of mooring line breakages.
the optimal composition and configuration of In 1995 Pooley joined a group of growers Damage and fish losses were largely covered
shell reefs, and the feasibility of transporting committed to providing 80 percent of the by insurance, but the major loss was in very
small fish, only three months in the seawater.
KOREAN OYSTERS UPSET Their escape will result in a loss next autumn
RUGBY SUPPORTERS when they would have reached harvest size,
An outbreak of food poisoning at Eden Park that says the companys aquaculture general
affected 81 people attending the All Blacks-Ireland manager, Stewart Hawthorn.
rugby test on June 17 is being blamed on Some local fishermen may have benefited
contaminated oysters from Korea. from the loss, but most of the fish would not
The spectators suffered from vomiting and have survived the lack of feed and natural
diarrhoea from the highly infectious norovirous predators in the sounds.The company says it
after eating at the hospitality areas of the stadium. has been able to mitigate the fish loss with
The problem was faecal contamination in the growing waters off Korea, said Callum additional smolt stocks, though the timing of
McCallum, the Chairman of the New Zealand Oyster Growers Association. New their grow-out is slightly later.
Zealand should not be importing this sort of seafood, he said. It was not about trade It has insisted on increased redundancy in
protection, it was about protecting oyster eaters from becoming violently ill. the mooring system, implemented a single
The New Zealand oyster industry had measures in place to minimise the risk of array of screw anchors, and added chain
contamination, he said. But New Zealand officials said such a move would be draconian connections to ensure that mooring loads are
and contrary to trade agreements. always evenly distributed.

EDITORS NOTE WRAP AND VINEGAR

Surely the importers of fresh frozen oysters must meet the same biotoxin requirements TO THE RESCUE
our shellfish farms must comply with? And if not, why not? If banning imports is too Plastic silage wrapping and household vinegar
draconian, these shellfish should be tested here in New Zealand for bio-toxins at the are helping to successfully control the invasive
importers expense. sea squirt Didemnum vexillum (not to be
By doing so, the health authorities and consumers could remain confident that it is safe confused with Styela clava, another sea squirt
to eat this imported delicacy.When oysters are served at a function, guests cannot tell the species), through the Marlborough Sounds and
difference and therefore need protection.Why anyone would import shellfish when we Golden Bay.
have a consistent supply of safe shellfish in New Zealand I dont know, unless it was a A monitoring dive found that the new
price-driven, inferior product, in which case you only get what you pay for.The public and technique had killed 98 percent of the sea
our aquaculture industry should not be exposed to these sorts of risks. squirt, and the industry was confident that the
Golden Bay infestation would be eradicated.

4 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
The port project had cost marine farmers
between $25,000 and $30,000, but was vital if INTENSE FISHING MAY DRIVE OUT PESTS
the pest was to be controlled before spring Populations of invasive species can sometimes take a natural downturn, and scientists at
spawning, he said. the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research have developed a population
A marine biosecurity scientist with model to determine if selective fishing can hasten their demise.They based the model on
Cawthron,Ashley Coutts, said the combination the invasive crab Charybdis japonica in the Waitemata Harbour.
of vinegar and plastic wrapping was effective The model was based on catch data from eight trapping surveys NIWA and
on high-use structures that could not be Biosecurity New Zealand carried out between 2002 and 2004. It incorporated the
removed from the water, such as wharf piles. effects of variation in sea surface temperature on larval survival and post-settlement
A six-week programme to control sea mortality of the crab population.
squirt in the Marlborough Sounds began in Forecasts of crab numbers over 25 years suggested a high probability of extinction in
mid-July. Coutts said its timing was crucial so six to eight years, and that intense fishing could accelerate the process. More accurate
the squirt could be killed before it spawned in estimates of crab recruitment and growth are needed to calculate the fishing pressure
early summer. (and investment) required to have an impact.

ILLEGAL TRADE SCOTTISH SALMON harvest being entirely processed in Japan.

DISRUPTED FARM JOBS GO Sources said Australia expected to sell about
New Zealand and Australian investigators have About 1500 production and processing jobs $200 million of tuna in Japan this year,
uncovered an illegal operation to export 25kg have been lost in salmon farming in increasing to $500 million by 2016.
of dried seahorse powder from Australia to Scotland since 2002, following the
New Zealand. dominance of the industry by foreign- ABALONE HARVEST
Australian Customs, owned companies, the Scottish Executive DUE SOON
acting on information said on June 15. The Australian Bight Abalone company says it
supplied by the New In 2001-02 it was estimated that the plans to produce its first abalone early in 2007,
Zealand Wildlife production and processing of salmon says the chief executive,Andrew Ferguson.
Enforcement Group, generated about 10,000 jobs in Scotland, said The original goal was to have supplies ready
executed warrants on Paul Haddon of the SEs Marine Group.The for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, but
businesses in Sydneys on June 30 and obtained latest figures currently available are for 2004, good growth rates and low mortalities had
evidence and other restricted products. when it was estimated that the equivalent brought the project forward.
Inquiries indicated that the seahorse figure was about 8500 jobs. The company has been awarded two
powder, declared as being a plant extract, was Since 2004, fish processing plants and new aquaculture leases near Elliston, and
imported from China in May, and exported a number of fish farms and smolt-rearing plans to invest A$100 million in the west of
within days to New Zealand as part of an facilities had closed in Scotland, Shetland South Australia, on top of the $10 million it
import order for use in the manufacture of and the Outer Hebrides. Scotlands largest has already spent to develop sea-based
medicines. Charges are likely to be laid against fish farmers, Marine Harvest and Stolt, abalone farms.
the Sydney importer. Investigations in New had amalgamated and been taken over by Patents are pending on the technology the
Zealand are continuing. the Norwegian multi-national company company uses to farm green lip abalone in sea
Pan Fish. cages. Ferguson says Australian Bight has 35
KINA THRIVE ON Pan Fish also had a controlling interest in farms and will operate more.
SPECIAL DIET Fjord Salmon. If approved, the new group
A joint project between NIWA and Sea Urchin would give Pan Fish over 65 percent control MARINE FARM WAITS
New Zealand could lead to much higher of Scottish salmon farming. FOR GREEN LIGHT
returns for commercial kina, or sea urchins. See www.salmonfarmmonitor.org The first major marine farm development on
Roe yields in wild-caught kina have been the West Coast of the South Island looks likely
consistently doubled by feeding them a protein- PROFIT BOOST to receive a green light.
rich diet that NIWA has developed.The kina FOLLOWS SLUMP The 45.5ha farm is located about 1km off
are held in land-based cages or sea cages, and South Australias tuna farmers are expecting a the coast of Jackson Bay.
are finished with their natural kelp food. A$60 million increase in their industry this The Ministry of Fisheries says it has
Commercial-scale sea trials in the year following a two-year slump. formed the preliminary view that the proposed
Marlborough Sounds showed that the switch The reasons include less tuna from other farm will not have an unduly adverse effect on
from land-based to sea-based operations hugely sources, strengthening Japanese demand, and fishing or the sustainability of fisheries
reduced infrastructure costs, and reduced processing of about five percent of tuna resources in the area. Submissions
labour and feeding costs by about 80 percent. product at Port Lincoln, rather than the closed on July 3.

www.aquaculturehealth.com
PAUA RESEEDING
the business beneath the surface
BY ELLIE WATTS, CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

Pearl net pack with

hatchery paua on
the sea floor, ready
for release

n the past few years, the production of paua seed has reseeding as a means of enhancing the paua fishery.The

I become routine for several hatcheries in New Zealand.

Most of this seed (about a year old) is on-grown on farms,
but some of it has recently been used to test the feasibility of
combination of aquaculture and wild fishery may well play a
key role in the future management of the precious paua
resource.
In 2005, Rodney Roberts of the Cawthron Institute, along
with PauMac 4s representative,Allan Culverwell, spent nine
days scouring the Chatham Islands coastline to inspect 70
sites for reseeding potential.These sites needed to meet very
strict habitat criteria before any juveniles were released.
Boulders had to be large enough to remain stable during
storms but small enough so research divers could turn them
over. Suitable sites were also required to display healthy
juvenile paua communities but not be overpopulated.
A total of 27,000 juvenile paua, spawned from Chatham
Seeded paua after 16 months in the wild. The blue shell indicates
adults and reared at OceaNZ Blues facilities in Bream Bay,
growth while in the hatchery were reseeded during this period throughout 12 sites.A
sample of these juveniles was sacrificed for disease testing
before the Ministry of Fisheries gave the all clear for them to
be released into the wild.
During a four-day weather window in June, Nigel Keeley and
I met up with Allan Culverwell on the Chathams to revisit
these sites for growth and survival assessment, and to reseed a
further 12,000 juveniles.
Paua reseeding is anything but a whimsical scattering of
juveniles from the deck of a boat, and when isolated places
such as the Chathams are involved, the logistics can be tricky.
Handfuls of juvenile paua were quickly and carefully settled
into empty adult paua shells. Several shells were packed side by
side into 0.25m2 mesh pearl nets supported by wire frames

6 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
LEFT:Paua juveniles in an adult shell, ready for reseeding
RIGHT: Diver introducing hatchery paua to their new homes in the sea

so the paua did not suffocate each other during their nights
recovery in an onshore holding tank.
The following two days were spent covering miles of
coastline by boat while divers bailed over the side in search

VIP.S49
of hundreds of new homes, precious cargo in hand.
Accurate position-fixing equipment and detailed site
descriptions were critical at this stage to ensure the sites
could be relocated to gauge the level of success.
Once an appropriate site has been identified, seeding
the paua out is relatively efficient but not without hassles.
Paua have a peculiar habit of emitting lots of mucous when
stressed, for example by handling out of water.
As a consequence, they often temporarily lose their
foothold after re-immersion in water. The mucous
immediately attracts predators. Cod have a penchant for
anything out of the ordinary and can pose as a pain in the
fingers, lips or cheeks with their rotary hoe style of biting.
It can be quite distracting to be surrounded by half a
dozen of these bandits while trying to place 20 or so
juvenile paua into safety under a suitable boulder.
Although the weather was kind enough to allow the
second reseeding phase to proceed, a persistent 3m
southerly swell kept the results of the back coasts previous
reseeding trial locked up.
Three other sites from the 2005 trial were accessed,
however, and the initial results showed promise, with
growth rates averaging 30mm to 46mm over 16 months.
The Marlborough Sounds is also producing encouraging
results three years after the start of a reseeding experiment.
Under the watchful eyes of PauMac 7 representatives and
Cawthron scientists, approximately 100,000 seeds were
released. Intensive follow-up surveys have recorded growth
rates averaging 25mm to 30mm per year, and survival
estimates ranging from 16 percent to 36 percent.
The signs are encouraging, and reseeding used as a
fisheries enhancement tool is beginning to turn heads
throughout New Zealand. Reseeding workshops, discussions
and presentations are becoming almost commonplace at
paua fishery management and farmers meetings.
PauMac representatives, farmers, scientists and MFish
are currently discussing safe and sensible approaches to
large-scale reseeding projects, so this management tool
has the opportunity to play a constructive and perhaps
major role in securing our paua fisheries for
generations to come.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 7
AMA OPPORTUNITIES
in the Bay of Plenty
he November 2001 aquaculture moratorium was These applications kindled the councils interest, as it

T the start of a major overhaul of aquaculture

legislation. It included significant changes to regional
councils role in planning for and managing aquaculture.
recognised the significant regional benefits these farms could
bring to the Bay of Plenty, especially the economically
depressed eastern part.And so we were keen to explore the
Probably the most significant change for regional councils AMA concept and how more aquaculture could be
was the introduction of the concept of aquaculture encouraged in the region.
management areas. Previously, resource consent applications Our AMA Project began in early 2002 after we secured
for aquaculture could be made nearly anywhere within a funding from the Ministry of Economic Development.The
regions coastal waters. projects goal is to identify opportunities for AMAs in the Bay
Regional councils are now forced to strategically plan for of Plenty and is made up of two parts, the coastal use and
aquaculture if they want to provide for it.Though the reforms value maps, and the offshore science project.
did not take effect until January 2005, a number of regional The maps show all the uses and values of the regions
councils were keen to start the ball rolling in exploring offshore environment that may limit where aquaculture can
opportunities for AMAs. take place. For example, we dont want to situate aquaculture
This included Environment Bay of Plenty, which decided early on in a commercial shipping lane.
that was it was keen to provide for aquaculture.The only The first task was to pull together existing information from
aquaculture in Bay of Plenty waters was three small oyster in-house sources such as existing resource consents and the
farms in Ohiwa Harbour. However, just before the November coastal plan, and externally from the Coastguard, the Ministry
2001 moratorium we received applications for two large mussel of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation.
farms of 4750ha off Opotiki and 4009ha off Otamarakau (about We also commissioned consultants, held hui with Maori and
half way between Whakatane and Tauranga). carried out our own studies where there was little or no
existing information (eg marine mammals, culturally significant
sites to Maori and charterboat routes).
Draft maps were taken out to the community for consultation
from November 2005 to February 2006.The consultation
process was an opportunity to check to see if what was shown
on the maps was correct and if anything was missing.As a result,
a number of changes and additions were identified.The maps are
nearly finished and should be released by October.
Its important to note that the coastal use and value maps
are not constraints maps.We have not tried to set levels of
constraint for the different uses and values.There are some
uses and values, for example commercial shipping lanes, where
any type of aquaculture would not be possible.
However, for other uses and values, the level of
constraint can vary depending on the type of aquaculture,

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 3 Map two of 12 taken out for consultation between

FIGURE 2 The Opotiki and Otamarakau mussel farm applications November 2005 and March 2006

8 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
FIGURE 4 The underwater video survey positions recorded during
the Bay of Plenty seabed survey

FIGURE 6 Modelled yearly averaged phytoplankton chlorophyll-a (mg/m3) at a water

depth of 15m within the Bay of Plenty without a mussel farm

message that they need to have input into where AMAs should
be located. No-one wants us to create an AMA, only to find
out that its not commercially viable because of its location.
So far there has been very little specific interest in
aquaculture in the Bay of Plenty, other than the two mussel
farm applications.Were keen to look at how we can provide
for future aquaculture technologies such as open-ocean sea
cage farming.Although they may not be a commercial reality
FIGURE 5 Organic content of sediment in the grab samples for New Zealand at present, we want to be ready and have
space available when they do.
eg a submerged mussel farm might be acceptable within One of the ways well engage with the aquaculture industry
sight of the coast. is at a workshop were holding in October where we will
present the information from the AMA project and possible
OFFSHORE SCIENCE PROJECT opportunities for AMAs.All going well, we will decide in
We want to make robust decisions about where AMAs might December where and how to provide for AMA opportunities.
be located.To do this we needed good science to understand The current statutory processes mean that it may take up
the coastal environment and how aquaculture may impact on another four years for any new AMA space to be available.The
it. It has been a two-stage process -a data gathering phase, council wants to plan now to ensure that the aquaculture
followed by running models developed by ASR Ltd. industry can respond quickly to new technology and markets
Data was gathered for in the future. But we need the industrys help to guide us.
z physical and chemical characteristics of the water For more information about Environment Bay of Plentys
z chlorophyll-a (ie plankton) concentrations AMA Project, or to go on our mailing list, contact Ben Lee,
z current and temperature profiling of the water column phone 0800 368 267, email [email protected]
z benthic organisms, and For further information about the science project,
z sediment characteristics. contact Stephen Park, phone 0800 368 267
Much of the data was obtained through field surveys from email [email protected]
mid-2003 through to 2004.The surveys included the use of a See www.envbop.govt.nz/coast/aquaculture
current meter, underwater video and sediment grabs.
The data was then used to calibrate models from the 3DD
Suite ( Black, 2001) to simulate currents, plankton
concentrations, water temperature and nutrient cycling.
One of the scenarios being run is the simulation of the
depletion of phytoplankton and zooplankton at two and four
large mussel farms of approximately 5000ha each at different
locations on the inner shelf of the central Bay of Plenty. Other
scenarios include looking at how El Nio and La Nia climate
variables can influence phytoplankton levels.
Most of the reports on the field surveys are available on our
website.The reports on the models and the scenario output
should be finished by October.
Once the coastal use and value maps and the offshore
science project are finished, the next step will be to figure out
the best places for AMAs.The industry has given us a clear VIP.AC01

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 9
From shellshocked to
WORLDS BEST
BY REG BREAKWELL

allis Lake is one of Australias most coastal community that prided itself on its pristine water

W picturesque and popular seaside holiday

resorts. It is located in New South Wales on
the eastern coast of Australia approximately 300km north of
quality.
Remedial action was swift, and the Wallis Lake event is now
regarded as a catalyst for fast-tracking the implementation of
Sydney.The Wallis Lake system, with its permanent opening to the New South Wales Shellfish Programme, one of the worlds
the sea, comprises approximately 73sq km of marine- most stringent and rigorously enforced public health safety
dominated tidal waterways, including some 31sq km of shellfish harvest programmes.This statutory programme
seagrass beds. applies to all oyster harvesting areas in New South Wales and
Wallis Lake has a history of commercial oyster production is managed by the New South Wales Food Authority.
reaching back over 100 years, and is one of the largest of the The Wallis Lake oyster industry is now back as one of the
32 commercial oyster-producing estuaries in New South leading producers of the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea
Wales. In 1997, the local oyster industry was brought to its glomerata), a native of the eastern coast of Australia and
knees when a number of people became ill after consuming arguably one of the best in the world to eat raw.The Wallis
locally harvested oysters. Lake industry injects around $11 million annually into the local
The statutory oyster harvest closure and the negative economy, and markets its product with confidence.
publicity that followed had a significant financial impact on the An exceptional relationship is said to exist at the lake
local oyster and tourism industries, and it was a bitter pill for a between the oyster industry and the local community. It
extends from the provision of employment and business
PLASTIC UNITS REPLACE opportunities to close cooperation to ensure the protection
TIMBER AND MESH of the local environment.
The Australian aquaculture industry service company Tooltech produces Given the economic, social/cultural and environmental
the Aquatray and Aquapurse shellfish grow-out systems under the Ploma significance of the oyster industry in Wallis Lake, the Great
brand name. Lakes Council and local oyster growers have established and
Tootechs marketing and export manager, Reg Breakwell, says his maintained strong working partnerships, says the mayor of
company has established a rapport with almost all the aquaculture the Great Lakes Council, John Chadban.
farmers around Wallis Lake, and they make full use of the companys This partnership is based on the over-riding objective of
products in their shellfish grow-out systems. ensuring that oyster production in the lake is managed in
Tooltechs environmentally friendly polymer 910mm standard perpetuity in a sustainable manner. Oyster growers are
Aquatray, the XL6 Aquatray and the XL8 (at 2.4m x 910mm it is strongly and consistently represented in the Wallis Lake
perhaps the largest oyster grow-out shellfish tray anywhere) and all Estuary Management Plan, where they work with the council,
versions of the Aquapurse are used in both inter-tidal and sub-tidal agency staff, other industry representatives and the community
modes. to implement the management plan and sustainably manage
Because of their design, the units lend themselves to diverse methods and protect the lake.
of use, and other framing methods are being trialed.The Aquatray and The first objective of the plan,to ensure that oyster
Aquapurse are rapidly replacing the many thousands of timber and mesh aquaculture leases operate in a sustainable manner, outlines
trays that have been used for several generations, Breakwall said. nine specific actions to achieve this, including support for
The Aquapurse wave barrier was first used in Wallis Lake. It acts as an phasing out tar-based oyster-growing products.
economical, predator-proof grow-out cage, and also protects oyster The council and the oyster growers have a strong platform
farms from excessive boat traffic wash. (Reported in FFI August 2005.) to work together to manage and protect Wallis Lake
and its oyster industry, says Chadban.

10 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
BILLION DOLLAR goal for aquaculture
quaculture aims to become a sustainable $1 develop an innovative and sustainable aquaculture sector.

A billion industry by 2025, according to goals set

out in the New Zealand Aquaculture Strategy
announced on July 31.
The government was also firmly committed to undertaking a
range of practical projects in partnership with the industry, he
said.These projects will occur over the next 18 months, and
The strategy would provide a strong foundation for growing will be targeted at specific areas where accelerated progress
the sector and contribute to New Zealands economic can demonstrate some real benefits to the industry and the
transformation, the Minister for Economic Development, New Zealand public.
Trevor Mallard and the Minister of Fisheries, Jim Anderton said The chairman of the New Zealand Aquaculture Council,
at the launch of the strategy. Callum McCallum, said New Zealand was in a great position to
The strategy had to be market-driven and commercially be a major part of this food producing revolution. By 2025
viable. It also required: aquaculture would be on the same footing as the New
z the collective action of the industry Zealand wine industry, and by 2030 it would match the wild
z growth to be driven by innovations in existing and new fisheries catch, McCallum said.
space, species, products and markets New Zealands aquaculture products already had a great
z growth to take place within an environmentally sustainable reputation at home and abroad.Along with the flagship species
framework, and that the of Greenshell mussels, chinook salmon and Pacific oysters,
z strategy be implemented by partnerships between the abalone was a new and upcoming species, and a number of
industry and the government, communities, iwi, regions and others were waiting to be realised commercially, he said.
research and education providers. Aquaculture ... will also help rejuvenate regional New
A key challenge in recognising the potential of aquaculture Zealand, with opportunities for employment and service
was to add value, based on increased productivity, rather than industries. Iwi will also benefit from this growth, as their future
simply increasing output, Mallard said.The industry currently position in aquaculture is an important component to
generates $333 million of revenue, mainly from Greenshell our success.
mussels, ($209 million market value), chinook salmon ($88
million) and Pacific oysters ($28 million).The industry makes up
about 15 percent of New Zealands seafood exports by value.
The average value of New Zealands aquaculture is $3 per
kilo, compared with $20 per kilo in Australia, where there was
more focus on high-value finfish such as kingfish and shellfish.
In 20 years time, the future of New Zealands aquaculture
AQUATRAY &
industry will look very different to that of today, Mallard said.
The strategy includes a 10-point plan that sets out the key
AQUAPURSE SYSTEMS
actions required to boost the sector so that it meets its goal.
A major part of the plan is to establish a new national
organisation, New Zealand Aquaculture Limited, by
amalgamating the existing New Zealand Aquaculture Council
and the species groups, iwi, and other commercial aquaculture
participants.
The other points in the plan are to:
z strengthen the partnership with government
Tooltech (Ploma) Pty Limited www.tooltech.net.au
z strengthen other stakeholder partnerships
z secure and promote investment in aquaculture Successfully used in diverse sea states
z improve public understanding and support for aquaculture Moulded in UV stablised polymer
z promote Maori success in aquaculture Easily handled & cleaned
z develop markets for New Zealand aquaculture products Lightweight & sturdy
z maximise opportunities for innovation
z promote environmental sustainability and integrity, and
z invest in training, education and workforce promotion.
GOUROCK NEW ZEALAND
AUCKLAND: 77B Patiki Road, Avondale
The government was working to build a strong relationship Ph 09 820 8600, Fax 09 820 6606
with the sector, and was establishing an aquaculture ministers Email [email protected]
group and a chief executives steering group. or [email protected]
The launch of this aquaculture strategy is the first step down CHRISTCHURCH: Cnr Dyers Rd
a new path, said Mallard.The success of this strategy will & Wickham Street, Bromley
Ph 03 384 4069, Fax 03 384 2642
ultimately depend on the level of commitment from key players. Email: [email protected]
We must all take responsibility for accelerating our efforts to VIP.AC08

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 11
Danish technology behind
KINGFISH FARM FAILURE
BY KEITH INGRAM

e read in the Northern Advocate on June 8 unpleasant problem, Ellis said.

W
$7.6 million.
that a kingfish farm set up by Maori in the Far
North two years ago was folding, with debts of
One of the major design faults was that sections of the farm
could not be isolated for repairs and maintenance. Other design
features as specified by IAA were starting to cause significant
The Parengarenga fish farm was closing down its operations it problems within the farm.
established by Parengarenga Harbour, citing financial troubles It soon became apparent that to effect major repairs to
and constant problems with its land-based aquaculture plant. pumps and equipment and the concrete raceways, the kingfish
The shareholders had been advised of difficulties with the had to be removed and the farm drained.
farm on several occasions, but the closure caught many of the In essence, the media interest created by Kingfish Go Wild to
2500 shareholders by surprise. Until recently, the fish farm, a tag, transport and release kingfish throughout the north assisted
Parengarenga Incorporation subsidiary, had been hailed as a the farm greatly.The balance of the fish was sold to Europe,
prime example of Maori economic development in the north. various wholesalers, retailers and fishermen.The mammoth task
The chairman,Winiata Brown, of Te Kao, told shareholders of cleaning the fish farm is now underway, with the staff
that the plant, built by Inter Aqua Advance Aps (IAA) of waterblasting the entire wet area, and flushing, rinsing and oiling
Denmark, had design faults and was not meeting production all its machinery.
expectations, with its ongoing costs being exorbitant. The repairs will also include replacing and fitting two state-of-
He advised that legal action against IAA had to be taken in the-art compressors supplied by Air Products Ltd of the United
Denmark under their legal jurisdiction.We simply do not have States.Air Products recognised the constant problems the farm
the resources to initiate or maintain such action. suffered with the original IAA-specified compressors, and agreed
At their shareholder meeting on June 9, the company to replace these at no additional cost, Ellis said.
directors confirmed that the Parengarenga Incorporation would So what did go wrong? Was it just some chronic design faults
sustain the outstanding loan of $7.6 million, and that all creditors by the Danish company, IAA, and that their recommended
would be paid. systems could not produce and live up to expectations?
Brown said it was unfortunate that the fish farm would have
to shut down its operations to effect significant repairs to the Aquaculture consultant Barry Torkington toured the
plant. IAA had claimed its aquaculture plant would produce 600 farm with John Ellis, and made the following,
tonnes of fish annually, but now conceded that it would produce independent comments:
only up to 400 tonnes, he said. The venture has failed primarily because of very poor
Faced with the option of selling some 50 tonnes of kingfish at equipment performance resulting in low harvests in the first few
discounted prices, for crayfish (lobster) bait, or even having to years, and burning the cash reserves. Doubts remain as to the
bury them, so that the plant could be closed, the Kingfish Go long-term viability due to the high operating costs of the plant in
Wild consortium, led by the New Zealand Recreational Fishing its current form.
Council and its sponsors, stepped in and offered to buy the fish The farm is a 32-concrete raceway sharing a common water
for release into the wild. treatment and delivery system. Hence the first problem, as no
Kingfish Go Wild achieved two direct aims - the release of raceway could be isolated for repairs or maintenance.
suitable kingfish into the wild from the far north to Raglan, and The water treatment system is substandard. Oxygen was
the publicity surrounding the campaign created additional generated on the site and compressed for high-pressure
markets where the larger kingfish could be sold at higher prices. injection and automatic feeders fed each raceway twice a day
In effect, the additional money from the sale of the fish by with a measured rate for the number of fish.
both Kingfish Go Wild and retail markets enabled the farm to He identified the systems failures as being every piece of
stay open for a few weeks longer, and gave the operation equipment has proven to be unreliable and failed, incorrectly sized
additional money to fund staff during the shutdown and clean-up or very expensive to operate, and often all three were true.
process, said the farm There was no system for removing suspended solids under 65
manager, John Ellis. microns, which typically contribute almost an equal bio-load on
It has been a the filtration system as the fish being cultured.
pleasure to work with The two most serious design deficiencies were in animal
the recreational fishing management and the lack of redundancy.The first prevented
community in seeking easy grading and treatment processes without incurring large
a worthwhile outcome losses from injury and stress. Inconsistent growth rates resulted
for what was an in mixed fish sizes.There were no proper raceways to allow fish

12 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
to swim to and from a sedation centre for regular grading and effective treatment units could be built on the site.
utilising selected harvest techniques. If the IAA is such a world leader in aquaculture farm
The entire systems water treatment capacity was shared by management and equipment, how come they are selling what
two or three pieces of equipment, exposing the stock to huge has now been described as obsolete, archaic and unsuitable
risk in the event of a mechanical failure. equipment to farm kingfish down under.
Any intense recirculating aquaculture RAS system needs a We understand that it is not possible to resurrect this plant for
minimum of 50 percent redundancy for each treatment process, growing out kingfish without substantially rebuilding the filtration
with modules designed to be easily brought on line or isolated system, the raceway, water return and water inlet systems, as well
for maintenance. as installing an efficient oxygenation and feeding system.
The equipment configuration as supplied by IAA on the farm Ignoring the legal issues, lets focus on the moral issue of doing
was a disaster waiting to happen, as it would only be a matter of whats right for your client. Is IAA justified in ignoring a problem
time before a system failure halved the holding capacity and when it supplied the technical and professional advice and
allowed only a few hours to harvest hundreds of tonnes of fish, equipment to the farm, and then promoted it as a success on
which is simply not possible, Torkington said. their own web site. Here we have a plant that has failed in two
Why was alternative advice not sought from the outset? Or years when one would expect 10 to 15 years before a major
did the Danes do such a good selling job that the corporation overhaul. Should IAA not be taking a proactive role in putting
took their word and recommendations as gospel. things right for the client? Or is just another example of the way
One has to ask, what experience had IAA in farming kingfish? IAA does business in the northern hemisphere? Should IAA
Or was the equipment adapted from northern hemisphere eel have first sought advice on whether their system was in fact
farming techniques, where they obviously have the expertise. suitable for on-growing kingfish in the first place!
The sad part is that since commissioning and operating the The big question remains.Will they now do whatever it takes
farm, the corporation has endeavoured to do everything to put things right and rectify their faults, rather than passing the
correctly, including meeting its creditors financial commitments. buck?
Meanwhile, the Danish company hides behind the Danish legal We are told that all the technical and professional expertise is
system, and can walk away. Is this fair? readily available in the South Pacific.After all, who was it that
Should they not be contributing to the significant repairs and developed the ability to farm kingfish as a prime
alterations that have to be carried out to make this farm aquaculture species? Kiwis, of course!
financially viable in the future, whether it is still owned by the
Parengarenga Incorporation or a private investor?
The farm is obviously too good to just let it go to waste and
ruin.Aquaculture and fish farming in particular has huge
potential for creating much-needed employment and income for
the Far North. BST ADJUSTABLE LONGLINE
Torkington advises that the whole configuration of the site
needs to change so that: OYSTER FARMING SYSTEM
z the 32 raceways are divided into eight systems can be easily
isolated
z the water treatment station needs to be completely rebuilt to
provide for division of the raceways, and the existing two
solids filters need removing and replacing with eight smaller
units
z eight foam fractionators need to be installed with sufficient
capacity to treat the total flow of the four raceway modules at
full load,
BST Oyster Supplies PTY Ltd www.bstoysters.com
z the present system for generating and injecting oxygen is
extremely expensive, and becomes prohibitive when correct The success of the longline system is in its ability to raise
levels of redundancy are included.A new system of a much and lower oyster bays giving the farmer control over shell
larger footprint capable of being divided by eight, and less growth and meat condition allowing oyster management
liable to fail, needs to be developed. more efficiently and economically than traditional methods.
If that was not bad enough,Torkington is just as critical of
other aspects:
z The feed storage and delivery system was,a disaster, and
GOUROCK NEW ZEALAND
AUCKLAND: 77B Patiki Road, Avondale
probably beyond redemption. A much simpler system using Ph 09 820 8600, Fax 09 820 6606
gravity and Kiwi ingenuity might be possible. Email [email protected]
z There did not appear to be a robust and efficient way to or [email protected]
control the temperature to the optimum level required for CHRISTCHURCH: Cnr Dyers Rd
intensive RAS systems. & Wickham Street, Bromley
Ph 03 384 4069, Fax 03 384 2642
z The bio-reactors were somewhat archaic, and did not have Email: [email protected]
any redundancy or flexibility, whereas inexpensive and very VIP.AC08

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 13
A PERSPECTIVE on the maritime
environment and marine farming
BY DR ANDREW MORGAN

Sumner Head and the entrance to Lyttelton Sheltered Akaroa Harbour on Banks Peninsula,
Harbour, where marine farming exists in where some marine farming exists
sheltered areas

ew areas play host to marine farming along a large environment anyway.Trying to pitch the conservation approach

F and varied coastline. Marine farming has sprung up

where healthy production of quality seafood products
can be supported. In addition, this tends to be along relatively
has been proved inadequate as a credible method for the back
doorstep objection time and time again.
The power generation industry is experiencing similar
sheltered parts of the coast. problems. Everyone wants it, but no-one wants to look at it or
Traditionally, agricultural communities have pre-existed in take responsibility and accept its effects.
these areas. Compared with densely populated parts, these Relatively few New Zealanders fully appreciate how extensive
coastal rural settlements also have heavily developed agriculture. our coastline is and how little space marine farming occupies.
Other, more semi-pristine sites, are holiday-type residences or From Stewart Island north to Dunedin, on to Banks Peninsula
lifestyle blocks. Out of necessity, most marine farming has and the Kaikoura Coast, the rugged, mountainous coastline
developed there, as they accessible and economically viable to remains relatively untouched.
operate in. Consequently, a conflict of interest exists between Across Cook Strait, journeying past Cape Palliser and
landowners and water space users along the coast. Castlepoint, the sweeping landscape moves north to East Cape.
Marine farming could be achieved in more isolated parts of Around to the Bay of Plenty and on to the Mercury Islands, then
the coast, but these are relatively inaccessible or are exposed.A the Coromandel and northern New Zealand, many hundreds of
vast number of geographically isolated areas exist that are more kilometres of rugged, isolated coastline teem with marine life.
inaccessible to humans and their needs. So there are limitations And this is just the eastern coast.
on the locations that can be used for marine farming. A perceived illusion or misconception about what is
In terms of conservation, this leaves a huge amount of going on with marine farming, and subsequent misinformation,
coastline that is relatively pristine. Despite this, a mindset has may be deluding adjacent land users and the public.Where
been cultivated that results in a not in my backyard attitude by marine farming is being carried out, pre-existing land use by its
land users who have already modified the surrounding very nature has already resulted in modifying part or all these
areas and the adjacent coast visually, structurally and ecologically.
Everyone wants easy access to areas of marine coastline that are
FISH FOOD FOR SALE useful. How is it then that with such a vast amount of nearly
pristine coastline there can be such a constraint on the
Due to an order that could not be cancelled before KINGFISH GO WILD
purchased the kingfish stock from the Parengarenga Fishfarm in the development of a marine farming industry with such huge potential?
far north, we have the following fish food, from Salmofood, currently For some species, marine farming could be pushed further
located in an Auckland warehouse available for immediate purchase. ANY offshore, as is being tried with mussel farming. However, all the
REASONABLE OFFERED CONSIDERED.
issues that arise for coastal marine farming become someone
17500kg 9mm floating pellets 8500kg 11mm floating pellets elses problem.Out of sight, out of mind, might be the
FOR ENQUIRES PLEASE CONTACT: attitude when trying to send the industry down this path.As a
KINGFISH GO WILD Email: [email protected], or nation, New Zealand is no better or worse off, as other
JOHN ELLIS, Managing Director, Parengarenga Fishfarm people inherit associated problems with conflicting use.
Telephone: 09 409 8437 A/Hours: 09 409 8404
New Zealands geographic isolation means the country relies
Email: [email protected]
heavily on merchant shipping for importing and exporting

14 n NZ AQUACULTURE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06
 The beautiful Kaikoura coast during heavy seas The isolated and exposed Cape Palliser coming
and cold southerlies in winter north from Cook Strait on a fine winters day

products. Furthermore, the long coastline supports a thriving industry that will improve and expand aquaculture and cement
fishing and tourism industry. So equally, rights to use of the its sustainable long-term future.
offshore water column and seafloor are just as problematic as Our duty and obligation as keepers of the maritime
the use of inshore waters and its conflict with land use. environment is to show the public that marine farming
Whether inshore or offshore, different groups of people represents a huge future for New Zealand.The ocean is there
are affected by marine farming. Other industries were for our use; most of the coastline is still semi-pristine.A huge,
impacting these environments long before marine farming. In unexplored and unexploited coastline and an exclusive
the end, the public has to be convinced about the benefits of economic zone exists.
a much larger marine farming industry for New Zealand. A much bigger picture is at stake in being able to protect
Marine farming is traditionally a labour-intensive, low-skill and exploit our marine resources and maritime
industry that cannot support a large number of high-end jobs in environment at a national and international level for our
research and technology development.At its present size, key own use now and into the future. Education to change
people who are highly trained in marine-based research and public perception for a traditional, agriculturally based
development go overseas, or work outside their field.Yet nation, and further integration of our maritime industry, is
ultimately it is high-end research and technology development the key to unlocking our maritime future and the
such as the Cawthron Institute carries out in partnership with significant role marine farming will play.

VIP.AC06

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 06 NZ AQUACULTURE n 15
VIP.AC04