Growing Together towards Smart Maori Aquaculture
While the numerous opportunities provided by aquaculture are well known around our Bay of Plenty rohe, the rest of the country – and the world – are really starting to sit up and take notice.
Saturday’s Daily Post, Bay of Plenty Times and the Herald Online all carried a significant feature on our regional aquaculture sector, including interviews with University of Waikato academics and researchers, economic development agencies and our Ngā Iwi I Te Rohe o Te Waiariki group.
You can read the full story here https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/bay-of-plenty-could-become-powerhouse-for-nz-aquaculture/AETZS3ZGD4RNJZLMG6VAYARSU4/, but for those who don’t have a subscription, here’s some of our key points:
– Together, Ngā Iwi I Te Rohe o Te Waiariki is working to create a world-class aquaculture industry in our rohe – with the goal of creating hundreds of new jobs for whānau
– After investigating a number of potential opportunities, we have shortlisted five key species (green-lipped mussels, kingfish, seaweed, hāpuku and scallops) and are now developing final investment-ready business cases to take them forward
– This kaupapa saw a significant milestone in July, with the virtual signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ngā Iwi i Te Rohe o Te Waiariki, Plant & Food Research, Cawthron Institute, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the universities of Otago and Waikato
The growth and development of the aquaculture sector in the wider Bay of Plenty -and the significant opportunities that will come with it – is not happening by accident. It’s part of a very deliberate strategy to grow our resources, our people and our identity and culture in the Bay of Plenty.