Southland wants to turbocharge the aquaculture industry to give the region’s economy a boost.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced a $2.2 million Government loan to expand operations at a growing facility in Bluff’s Ocean Beach.
The company grows pāua in 280 purpose-built tanks, mainly focused on cocktail-size abalone, in the seaside town’s former meat works.
The building also houses other aquaculture-related businesses — one specialises in seaweed for cows to reduce methane from their burps, while another is whitebait.
The consistent temperature of the southern sea water makes Bluff a prime location for these different seafood businesses.
Ocean Beach managing director Blair Wolfgram told 1News: “Southland has one of the longest coastlines in the country and obviously with that high quality water, it’s a huge opportunity as well … and now we’re ready.”
He has been working on this project for around six years.
The Government gave Ocean Beach a loan of $2.2m from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for its expansion, with a focus to grow the whole aquaculture industry nationwide.
Jones said: “We want to see it grow by two to three billion dollars in terms of export.”
The region has a goal to claim a third of the growth — 1 billion dollars by 2035.
“We can promise the Southland area it’s not the last time I’ll be here,” said Jones.
It comes as other ideas for new industries in the region such as green hydrogen and oat milk have been put on hold or axed, as well as previous uncertainty around the continued operation of the Tiwai Point Aluminum Smelter.
The regional development agency Great South has its bets on aquaculture.
Chief executive Chami Abeysinghe told 1News the Government partnership was good for investments.
“It signals to other partners, especially those from Europe and the Scandinavian countries that might be looking at us, that this is a great place … and this is the right investment to make.”
There are also four proposed fast-track projects for Southland — three of them are related to aquaculture.
Two are land-based salmon hatcheries and another is a marine farm located offshore Rakiura-Stewart Island.
The lower south is seen as a great place for fisheries, said independent aquaculture scientist Jane Symonds.
“There’s some really good water space down in Southland and Otago with good temperature profiles that will mean that the industry is viable even in in the future with ocean warming.”
