Aquaculture
June 2014
NEW ZEALAND
Coromandel gold
Gilbert James
Market mover
Thailand rising
Industry implications
Supreme Court Decision
AQUACULTURE
June 2014
NEW ZEALAND
Coromandel gold
Gilbert James
Market mover
Thailand rising
Industry implications
Supreme Court Decision
Published by
EDITOR: Adam Hicks
Email [email protected]
Web www.aquaculture.org.nz
DDI: +64 (03) 546 2662
Mob: +64 (0) 21 244 5166
Editorial content compiled by
Aquaculture New Zealand.
NewsinBrief
Space watch
• Marlborough (53 applications, 276 ha);
• Waikato (35 applications, 36 ha);
• Auckland (9 applications, 285 ha);
• Southland (2 applications, 9 ha);
• Northland (6 applications, 138 ha);
• Chathams (1 application, 8 ha);
• Canterbury (2 applications, 9 ha).
Aquaculture
New Zealand
Level 1, Wakatu House,
Montgomery Square,
Nelson 7010
New Zealand
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 03 548 8944
Fax: 03 548 8984
Duncan Bates
Industry backs EMS
Industry leaders are getting behind
a project to cement our international
reputation for sustainable practices.
Duncan Bates, Bruce Hearn, Jim
Dollimore, Ted Culley and a host of
marine farmers are supporting the
project being coordinated by AQNZ
which is set to revolutionise the sector’s
Environment Management System.
There is more information on the EMS
project on Page 15 of this magazine
and all sector participants are strongly
encouraged to get informed and
provide feedback to the project team.
Contact AQNZ Environment Manager
[email protected]
for more information.
Dive review
AQNZ is calling for industry input into a
review of the New Zealand Aquaculture
Industry Diving Best Practice Guidelines.
Contact AQNZ Environment Manager
[email protected]
2
The draft 2014/15 AQNZ business plan
and budget has been posted to levy
payers for consultation.
This document outlines how the
organisation will work for the industry
and all levy payers are encouraged to
have their say. Contact AQNZ Business
Manager Karen.Morley@aquaculture.
org.nz
The New Ze
aland King
Salm
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winning thei rt to the season,
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atches.
Sanford is working with farmers and staff
of the former Greenshell NZ to ensure
growing and harvesting operations
continue seamlessly following its
purchase of the company’s assets.
Sanford CEO Volker Kuntzsch said
these assets were a strategic fit for
Sanford’s aquaculture business as they
allow for improved supplies from a wider
geography.
Sealord salmon
Sealord has launched a new range
of smoked salmon products into
supermarkets around the country.
Sealord Hot Smoked salmon is
produced by brothers Joe and Gavin
Kouwenhoven, who have been smoking
seafood the old fashioned way in their
kilns in West Auckland since 2000.
The product is available in three
flavours with a RRP of $11.99 for a
155g pack.
Kono’s perfect match
A Kono farmed flat oyster dish paired
with Tohu Rewa Blanc de Blanc was
named the best food and wine match
at the 2014 Marlborough Wine and
Food Festival.
Nelson chef Matt Bouterey created
the dish, oysters served with a gazpacho
shot and cucumber and sherry pearl, to
specifically match the wine which was
a hit with customers as well as judges,
selling 800 oysters in just a few hours.
Sanford purchases
Greenshell NZ
Design: JK Frith Design
[email protected]
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.
AQNZ business plan
and budget
Seven resource consents covering
26 hectares of new farming space
have been issued since mid-January.
Since the 2011 law reforms, a total
of 108 applications (88 of which are
extensions to current farms) covering
a potential of 761 hectares have been
notified. Of those, 72 applications have
been approved for 182 hectares while
36 applications for 579 hectares are
in process with regional councils. The
applications have been notified in:
Submissions
A star is born
Second generation mussel farmer
Jake Bartrom has stared in a short film
showcasing the tremendous sustainable
growth opportunity the industry offers
New Zealand.
Jake presents a fresh look at the
industry, promoting it as a modern,
vibrant sector with a keen focus on
protecting local waters.
The video is in the final stages of
production and will be released to the
sector in the near future so watch this
space.
AQNZ has made submissions to the
Exclusive Economic Zone discharges
regulations and the Thames Coromandel
District Council District Plan. For more
information on the submissions contact
AQNZ Environment Manager Rebecca.
[email protected]
Trade mission
ExportNZ and NZTE have coordinated
a trade mission to Taiwan/Hong Kong/
Macao in July with another planned for
early September to Indonesia.
Visit www.nztrademission.co.nz for
further details.
2014 key dates/e
vents
June 7-11
World Aquaculture
(conference), 2014
Adelaide
July 25
MFA AGM
MSQP AGM
September 2Seafood Expo, As4ia,
Hong Kong
July 21
CMFA AGM,
Coromandel
July 26
NZOIA Conference,
Waitangi Hotel
October 23-24
New Zealand
Aquaculture
Conference
July 24
AQNZ and NZMIC
AGMs
August 20
Seafood NZ
Conference,
Wellington
November 5-7
China Fisheries
and Seafood Show
,
Qindao
Mussel infographic
collateral aimed at
promoting the key
attributes of Greenshell
mussels in a fun and
informative way is now
available. The collection
includes files for online
distribution in English/
Chinese/Thai, pull-up
banner designs, brochures
and recipe cards. To view
this collateral and place
a request to use visit www.
nurturedseafood.com/
resource-room
JUNE 2014
3
Annual report
The Aquaculture New Zealand
Annual Report will be posted
to all levy payers in the 2nd
week of July prior to the
organisation’s AGM.
Farming
premium salmon
New Zealand farmed seafood...
Simply the best
”T
hat is the best seafood I’ve
ever eaten.”
Reactions from
guests at the highly-influential
National Restaurant
4
Association show in Chicago
last month saw New Zealand
Greenshell mussels, King
Salmon and Pacific Oysters
shine among the thousands
of products on display from
over 100 countries.
“Simply wow!”
“Amazing mussels – I can’t
believe they were frozen.”
“Hands down the best
salmon I have ever tasted”
With the show attracting
64,000 visitors from the
US food service sector, a
stand co-ordinated by
Aquaculture
New Zealand (AQNZ)
prepared samples of
New Zealand Greenshell
mussels and King salmon
to build profile among key
buyers and influencers
in what is the industry’s
largest export market.
“People would come
and try some of the
product, then rush off and
drag back their partners
and say ‘you’ve gotta try
this’,” said AQNZ marketing
manager Casey Marriott.
“We designed the stand
to educate and excite this
key market with our story of
premium products from a
pristine source.
“That resonated really well
with people even coming up
to take pictures of our stand
and our posters.
“It was a real hit.”
AQNZ recruited a
graduating chef from
renowned culinary institute
Kendell College to freshly
prepare sampling dishes
for the eager American
consumers.
“Greenshell mussels
served with a Sauvignon
Blanc cream were
extremely popular and
generated plenty of
comments from people
who thought they were the
best mussels they’d ever
tasted,” said Casey.
While it was evident
that King Salmon from
New Zealand is in vogue
at the top end of the
US restaurant segment,
Casey said they were able
to introduce it to plenty
of chefs who hadn’t yet
experienced it.
“Chefs and customers
rated it as the best salmon
they had ever tasted,
agreeing it was ‘the
champagne of salmon’,”
said Casey.
With the US being the
largest export market for
our mussels and third
largest for salmon, Casey
said it was vital to maintain
our brand exposure within
this key market.
“The NRA show was
highly targeted and a
perfect platform to build
profile of our products,
keeping them top of mind
as premium seafood
menu options.” n
Seafarm trials have begun
in a joint MPI and industry
funded research project to
identify and prevent salmon
developing skeletal problems.
Following an
epidemiological review that
identified risk factors, the trials
will investigate the effects of
diet, environment conditions
and incubation temperatures.
“Ultimately we want to
see that every fish that is
harvested is in premium
condition and creates extra
value for the industry,” said the
project’s Fish Health Manager
Mark Preece.
T
MFA awards
The Marine Farming
Association is calling for
nominations for their annual
awards recognising industry
excellence.
Nominations close on June
25 with the winners to be
announced at the MFA
awards dinner on July 25.
Email debbie@marinefarming.
co.nz
National science
challenges
Oyster model
operational
A new laboratory system
has been established to
help industry combat the
Juvenile Oyster Mortality
virus. NZOIA and Sustainable
Farming Fund investment
in a joint New Zealand/
Australia research project has
produced the standardised
challenge system that allows
selectively bred oysters to be
consistently challenged with
the virus at an earlier stage
and experiments studying the
behaviour of the virus to be
run at laboratory scale.
Supreme
Court
outcomes
NIWA has coordinated a
proposal for tranche 2 of the
National Science Challenges
which seeks to grow the marine
economy by increasing the
use and realising the value of
New Zealand’s marine
and coastal assets, while
maintaining their
environmental health.
The “Sustainable Seas”
challenge will be considered
by the Ministry for Business
Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) along with other
proposals from the science
community.
Aquaculture is a highly
efficient use of this resource
for increased productivity
and AQNZ will continue to
advocate for the need to
direct funding into developing
the productive use of the
coastal marine environment. n
he Supreme Court decision overturning
a potential New Zealand King Salmon
farm at Port Gore is likely to have
implications for the wider industry that
Aquaculture New Zealand is working
to address.
After considering appeals against four
new farming sites granted through the
Environmental Protection Agency Board of
Inquiry process, the Supreme Court handed
down a ruling in April giving the go ahead
for three farms, while rejecting the fourth
because it was in an area deemed an
Outstanding Natural Landscape.
Following the decision, Aquaculture
New Zealand engaged Resource
Management Act specialists Russell McVeagh
to evaluate the consequences this would have
for the wider sector and identify practical steps
industry can take to address these.
Russell McVeagh solicitors concluded
that the ruling was a significant departure
from previous RMA interpretations that has
immediate implications on marine farming
– and likely significant impacts on land
use activities – which would be realised
in the precedent this sets for future legal
proceedings and also in how regional
councils respond through regulation, maps
and plans.
AQNZ has met with the Ministry for Primary
Industries to review their assessment of the
implications of the decision, and will also be
canvassing the perspectives and support
from other affected companies and sectors.
The organisation is continuing its sector
profiling work on consent expiry, Outstanding
Natural Character designations, draft plans/
review timings to more accurately gauge risk
and potential economic impacts if farms are
lost as a consequence of the decision.
As this information comes together, AQNZ
will co-ordinate an industry delegation to key
politicians and senior officials. n
JUNE 2014
5
GOOD
For you!
RevivingtheGulf
Good for New Zealand
W
e know they’re a
sustainable seafood but
now Bill Brownlee is proving
Greenshell mussels can also be
good for the land.
After long suspecting there
was more in discarded mussel
shells than a waste product, the
semi-retired Havelock sheep and
beef farmer has launched a new
operation to convert them into highquality fertiliser.
“It started in the ‘60s when
my father first let Tom Reeves,
a Havelock seafood processor,
discard scallop and mussel shells
on the family property,” he said.
“When we took over the property
in 1970 we continued it on.
“I just thought that at some stage
they might be worth something – it
was just a punt that we took.”
For nearly 40 years local mussel
processors have discarded shells on
the Brownlee property.
As the industry grew, so too did
the pile of shells which has become
a 13 metre high landmark along
the road from Havelock to Blenheim.
“One or two said we were silly for
taking them,” Bill said.
“But we were still farming full time
so I just called it my retirement fund.”
That changed a couple of years
ago when Bill’s son returned to the
region and took over the farming
duties, leaving plenty of time for Bill
to get serious with his shells.
He bought a pulverising
machine from Cape Campbell
lime works and invested in new
sheds and equipment.
“I was convinced in my own
mind it was going to work so we
6
just went and did it,” he said.
“When we first started we were
exploring different ideas and were
only crushing poultry grit.
“That process created left over
agricultural lime-powder that we
used on our own property and
really noticed the difference.
“Then a few people got it off us
and reckoned it was good stuff.”
Bill estimates that over the past
year he has crushed a few thousand
tonnes of mussel shell – just enough
to put a dent in the pile – which has
been sold to local farmers and a
fertilizer manufacturer.
Hopai Bay farmer Mike Gerard
said he was very happy with the
results he had seen from 180 tonnes
of powder spread on his property in
the past year.
“A lot of New Zealand is short
of calcium carbonate and most
farmers have to apply lime at some
stage to lower the acidity of their
soil,” he said.
“If you what to grow grass and
have healthy animals, you have to
have a healthy pH of at least 5.5
and the Marlborough Sounds are
traditionally 5 and under.
“From the test results we’ve had
back on it, we’ve seen that it’s
equally as good as lime. The calcium
carbonate content is good. Plus
there are extra nutrients and trace
elements, which help to feed soil
and plants and in turn the animals.”
As well as being a locally sourced
alternative to traditional lime sources,
Mark said it was an innovative
recycling initiative that he hoped
the local farming and aquaculture
industries would support. n
Two glasses of cloudy water
from the Tamaki Estuary
a small Greenshell mussel from Browns Island
is added to the class on the right
Once it adjusted and opened its shell
it cleared the water in less than 15 minutes.
he benefits of Greenshell mussels in
the marine environment are clear
to a conservation group working
to restore ecosystems and natural
biodiversity in the Hauraki Gulf.
That’s why the Mussel Reef
Restoration Trust are working with North
Island mussel farmers and processors in
a bid to revive the wild mussel beds that
were once an iconic feature – and a
source of life - in local coastal waters.
“Mussel reefs used to be a very
significant part of the Hauraki Gulf and
Firth of Thames,” said Trust Chairman
John Laurence.
“They covered about 500km2 of sea
floor and it is estimated they used to
filter all the water of the Firth of Thames
in a day.
“As well as their large filtering
capacity they are also important to the
marine environment by creating habitat
and supporting the food chain.
“But because of commercial mussel
dredging, poaching and water quality
issues, they have effectively become
extinct except in a few very small areas.
“We’ll never be able to restore the
Gulf to its former glory… but there are
areas where we can start to restore the
beds. We’ve put down the first lot of
seed mussels in December 2013, which
not only survived but are now growing
and attracting other life like fish.
“We have had very recent reports
that mussel spat has been sticking to
the reefs already.
“It’s fantastic news and hopefully
an indication that our seeding efforts
will be the start of self-sustaining
mussel reefs.”
The first seeding drop involved
seven tonnes of mussels donated by
North Island Mussel Ltd (NIML) who
also provided the barge and labour to
distribute them.
General Manager Steve Wells said
NIML wanted to be involved because
they shared common values with
the Trust.
“We will consider supporting projects
that protect and enhance the quality,
biodiversity and ecology of the waters
around the Hauraki Gulf,” Mr Wells said.
“The Trust is working for a great
cause and we were glad to be able to
contribute to their efforts.
“We’re looking at another
opportunity at the moment to continue
this work and will be looking to donate
more mussels again in the future.”
John said the Trust had had a
positive response from industry with
several growers and processors
signalling their support for the project.
“We’ve been talking to mussel
growers and processors and all of them,
without exception have been extremely
keen to offer advice, assistance or
practical facilities and those growers
want to bring in other growers.
“Every grower that we’ve spoken to
has been 100 per cent supportive and
keen to see it succeed.
“Quite a few growers are
conservationists themselves who have
tried to restore the beds over the years.
“We’re looking for advice, past
experiences and resources they can
share that can help us upscale the
areas that we are restoring.
“Our mission is not just to improve
water quality, but benthic condition of
the gulf generally.
“We see it as a very simple process: if
we can get the benthic region, primarily
mussel beds back, that will form a great
base for improving the eco system in
the Gulf generally.”
To learn more about the
project or to get involved go to
www.reviveourgulf.org.nz n
T
QUOTA WANTED
GLM9 SHARES
Contact Dion Iorns on:
03 528 2870
[email protected]
June 2014
7
Growing middle-class consumption and quality relationships with key
distributers has seen Greenshell mussel export markets undergo a...
Above: New Zealand Trade Commissioner to
Bangkok Karen Campbell at a media event promoting
New Zealand Greenshell mussels in the Thai capital.
M
eng Thongsuk hadn’t heard
of Greenshell mussels when
he emigrated from his native
Thailand 12 years ago.
But with the South-East Asian
nation rapidly emerging as a major
mussel export destination, Meng, a
chef and owner of the Tong Tara Thai
restaurant in Nelson, says Greenshell
mussels have become a popular item
on his menu and a regular topic of
conversation during his annual visit to
his old homeland.
“New Zealand mussels have become
very popular in Thailand but it’s just
been over the past five years,” said
Meng, who now includes mussels in all
his seafood dishes.
“Suddenly they’re in every
supermarket and on restaurant menus.
“When I go back each year I notice
they get more and more popular and
my friends talk to me about them and
ask ‘how big are they in New Zealand’
and ‘what do they taste like fresh’.”
Meng is not the only one to
notice the rise in popularity, with
New Zealand producers recording
a surge in demand that has seen
Thailand become the second largest
8
takeover
export market for what is one of New
Zealand’s largest seafood exports.
In the five years to 2013, New Zealand
mussel exports to Thailand nearly tripled
from approximately 500 tonnes to over
1400 tonnes with that trend continuing
into 2014 with exports reaching 1240
tonnes in the first four months.
My biggest problem is that I
have Thai distributers calling
me saying: why can’t we
get more mussels
“We have seen a noticeable
increase in demand for Kono
Greenshell mussels from this market
and we’re optimistic that demand
will continue to grow,” said Kono Sales
Manager Simon Perfect.
“There remains an excess of demand
for Kono Greenshell mussels in the Thai
market and this demand is likely to
exceed supply in the near future while
crop resources remain constrained.
“There has been a rapid increase in
the Quick Service Restaurant market
that is raising awareness and the profile
for New Zealand Greenshell mussels
and the multitude of eating styles for
this product throughout Asia.
“Greenshell mussels are an excellent
fit for both the traditional and emerging
eating culture.”
It is this ‘fit’ that New Zealand Trade
Commissioner in Bangkok Karen Campbell
said has fuelled the surge in demand as
middle-class consumption has risen and
New Zealand producers have cemented
relationships with key distributers.
“Thais are not big beef or lamb
eaters. They consume chicken, pork or
seafood,” Ms Campbell said.
“Seafood is available and
consumed widely and is not a
speciality or luxury product.
“They eat a lot of squid, cockles
and oysters, and Greenshell mussels fit
comfortably in the range of food that
Thais eat. It’s a natural fit into their palate
and range of desired seafood products.
“In Thailand, people eat most meals
out at low cost restaurants.
“But as the middle class grows,
consumption places and patterns
are changing.
ABOVE: Meng Thongsuk
LEFT: Rising middle class consumption is
seeing a move away from traditional Thai
food-stalls, to mid-tier restaurants.”
“People who in the past have eaten
in road-side stalls are moving to mid-tier
restaurants, probably located in a mall,
where they can take their families and
eat in air conditioning.”
And it is through the mid-tier
restaurants that the majority of
Greenshell mussels are sold.
“Greenshell mussels are in all levels
of restaurants,” Ms Campbell said.
“You still get mussels in high-end
restaurants, but the volume has come
from getting in at the next level down –
your local restaurant where you go on
a Friday night, or mid-level restaurant
chains and small hotels.
“It can be used in local seafood
dishes like a fried rice or a Tom Yum
soup. And in the mid-tier restaurants it’s
quite common to see it used in western
applications like a gratin.”
“One of the things I like is the way
pride in using the mussels has worked
its way through to menus. Every
restaurant you go to the menu says
‘New Zealand Greenshell mussels’.”
The recognition comes from
developing relationships with
highly influential hypermarket and
supermarkets like the CP Group,
Makro, Tesco and The Big C.
“Mussels have penetrated key
distributor channels which trade into
the source of procurement. Particularly
hypermarkets, which are absolutely
critical as they supply the small-medium
sized restaurants.
“Some of these stores are 5 times
the size of a large Countdown
supermarket and with these stores
carrying the mussels in their freezers it
creates massive exposure to the food
service sector.”
One theory for the increase in
popularity is the unfilled demand
created by a declining domestic
production.
However, with Thai mussels selling
at approximately 20c/kg where
New Zealand Greenshell mussels sell
for $6/kg, Ms Campbell does not
believe the two are related.
“I think it is mainly driven by the
culinary elements of the food,” she said.
“I do have people comment on the
difference, they say Thai mussels are
sweeter but much smaller.
“Thais eat with a fork and a spoon
rather than a knife, which can make
eating a large mussel difficult.
“But restaurants like it because the
larger size lends itself to impressive
presentation and because they are
individually frozen they are very versatile
and useful in food service channels.”
Ms Campbell said that New Zealand’s
reputation for purity also added to the
desirability of the product.
“New Zealand is the supporting
actor in this story. It’s not spoken, but
the underlying perception is that
New Zealand-sourced product is
cleaner and fresher,” she said.
“Our products are generally
regarded as clean and safe, however
people are sceptical about products
out of the Gulf of Thailand which is a
shallow, busy shipping channel.
“Ultimately I think they’re popular
because they look good, taste good
and are good for you.”
The one warning Ms Campbell
offers is to be careful in managing
relationships with local distributers.
“My biggest problem is that I have
Thai distributers calling me saying
‘why can’t we get more mussels’,” Ms
Campbell said.
“It’s nice to have the demand, but it’s
sad when you know the brand equity
has been created and ongoing regular
supply can’t be fulfilled.
“Thai people are sensitive to
relationships and don’t want to feel
others are being prioritised over them.
They need to be handled with care
and with a focus on preserving the
relationship.”
But what’s the future look like for the
country once known more as an export
destination for budget backpackers
than premium seafood?
“I think the demand has a good
chance of continuing,” Ms Campbell said.
“I think the people in this market
are ready for a value added mussel
product. It would be a natural
progression to offer a product that you
can take home and use.” n
J u n e 2 014
9
gold
Greenshell mussel pioneer
Coromandel
A horse riding mussel farmer with a passion for environmental preservation:
Gilbert James is not your typical septuagenarian.
W
hen other Kiwis his age were
taking free bus rides with their
senior’s card, Gilbert James
was thundering across wild terrain at
full gallop on horseback.
Despite not participating in
organised equestrian events until in
his mid-50s, Gilbert took to riding with
the same conviction that has seen him
become one of the country’s larger
independent mussel farmers.
“A chap here at Coromandel invited
us to do a trial ride one day on a farm.
When my horse took off at full gallop
across the country side and jumped a
hedge, it was so much fun that I was
hooked right at the start,” Gilbert said.
Despite the risk of serious injury
that would come with a fall for the
now 72-year-old, the adventure and
challenge and connection with nature
that riding provides has kept Gilbert in
the saddle for over two decades.
“I have really enjoyed riding on
the backs of good horses across
country side that you never get to see
otherwise. I’ve ridden on stations that I
used to shear on. I’ve seen a lot of the
North Island,” he said.
“I was improving all the time and was
still getting better into my sixties.
“I still ride but every year I revaluate
and I’m taking it a bit easier these days.”
It’s the same spirit of adventure and
challenge that has kept him farming
Greenshell mussels for over 30 years.
10
“My time farming mussels has been
extraordinarily interesting and exciting.
I’m just so lucky to have had that
opportunity to have been in a sunrise
industry,” he said.
“It’s been decades of hard work,
innovation and challenge – all the
good things. I think back and think
gosh what an exciting ride it’s been.
“I’m still excited.”
It was a ride that started when
Gilbert first recognised the opportunity
of aquaculture.
“My time farming mussels
has been extraordinarily
interesting and exciting.
I’m just so lucky ”
“My family has lived in Coromandel
for four generations,” he said.
“When I was a boy, the area was
renowned for the wild mussel beds that
covered the Hauraki Gulf.
“But the ‘60s saw the virtual
disappearance of the mussel beds.
“I knew there was a market in
Auckland because during my
shearing days, you would hear people
talk about getting a coal sack of
mussels for 5 shillings, and 10 shillings
on the Coromandel wharf and then
later a pound.
“So I thought hell, if ever there
was an opportunity a guy should
farm mussels.
“I couldn’t see it failing – I just had
to learn how to farm them. There was
a market just waiting.”
Gilbert approached his father about
leasing some of the family’s 200 hectare
property, a former gold mine purchased
by his grandfather Arthur in the 1930s at
Preeces Point with direct harbour access.
“I didn’t get enthusiastic about it until
1978 – but once I did, it became like a
religious crusade in my head and from
that, the people of Coromandel came
to know me as a mussel farmer,” he said.
“I had a good job that I should have
been content with and I had four kids in
Auckland, but I wanted to farm mussels.
“I went to Dad and said ‘I’m going
to be a mussel farmer and I think a
good spot would be right here in this
little bay’.
“At that stage, there was no mussel
farming industry in Coromandel - just
an opportunity.
“I put in a long line in the harbour
with a five-year experimental licence
from Wellington.
“I still worked full time in my job
in Auckland for two years after getting
the licence and only left my job after I
understood how to farm them and had
proven that the market was there.”
Gilbert named his business Gold
Ridge Marine Farms in recognition of
the history of his family’s land and over
the decades has expanded that one
line into farms covering
21.5 hectares of water space.
He has also worked to advance
the wider industry, having called the
first Coromandel Mussel Farming
Association meeting in 1981 and served
as its chairman ever since. He has also
served on the original Mussel Industry
Advisory Council and later as a director
on the Aquaculture New Zealand board
since it was established in 2006.
But while Gilbert will be long
remembered as a mussel farmer, he
hopes his environmental efforts will
also provide benefits for generations
to come.
“In my spare time, I’m moving
away from riding horses and focusing
more on restorative planting projects
to support native bird habitats on
the property at Preeces Point, and at
Warahoe Estate at Thames,” he said.
Like mussel farming, the restoration
work has become a passion for Gilbert.
“I’ve just always been interested in
the bush and coastline and I put that
down to my days as a boy where I was
allowed to run free and wild through the
hills, streams and mud flats,” he said.
“I believe as a human being we
should have a natural affinity with
our surrounding environment.
“I started planting about 25 years
ago but really only got serious about
it five years ago. It was like the penny
dropped one day and I felt like I had
to do it.
“I think it comes from my love of birds
as a child. In the days before transistor
radios, I took a huge interest in birds
and bird songs. We used to whistle
to them, and try to catch them, and
collect their eggs – they were a part
of our lives.
“As I’ve got older, I’ve felt an
obligation to maintain a habitat
for them.
“I think a lot of people at my age
can remember great amounts of fish
and birds and wildlife and a lot of that
has disappeared. It’s a serious worry
for me.”
For Gilbert, working in balance with
the environment is a non-negotiable
part of the job.
“I feel exceptionally strongly
about protecting our environment
and local waterways,” he said.
“Over the past five years, I’ve brought
the pest numbers right down and
planted about 2000 native trees and
I plan to put in a few hundred more
every year for many years to come.
“I’m lucky enough to have the
property to do it, and I guess that’s the
obligation. I’ll do my part in my lifetime
and I hope it looks that good by the
time I die that the work will continue
long after I’m gone.”
While some Kiwis his age will
continue their journey by bus, Gilbert
is not about to release his grip on the
reins any time soon. n
J u n e 2 014
11
Former wine executive turned Mt Cook Alpine Salmon
Chief Operating Officer and AQNZ Director Janine Tulloch
tells us why New Zealand farmed seafood is...
Like
a
fine
wine
Q
Since moving to New Zealand
from Brisbane in 1997, you’ve lived
in Mt Cook, Martinborough and now
in Queenstown – are you deliberately
avoiding our big cities?
Most certainly. I actually left Brisbane in
1992 to do my OE. My (now) husband
and I came back in 1994 and travelled
Australia for 3 months ending up in Airlie
Beach in the Whitsundays for 4 years.
I do love to visit big citites but I much
prefer the community spirit (and lack of
traffic) in smaller regions as a place to
live with my family.
Q
You’re a chartered accountant by
training with no prior involvement
in seafood – how did you come to work
in the aquaculture industry?
From my CA days I got into the
hospitality industry working with
hotel groups in Australia and
New Zealand. The move into
wine came when we moved to
Martinborough, just north of Wellington
in the late 90’s. I’d been in the wine
industry for over 12 years, most recently
as GM of Martinborough Vineyard
which is one of New Zealand’s iconic
brands. When the opportunity with
Mt Cook Alpine Salmon came up, I
thought this would be an exciting step
into a new industry. There are a number
of similarities to the wine industry
including route to market, distribution
and logistics not to mention basic
farming practices. Also I like that the
company was focused on the ultra
premium end and was supplying some
of the same restaurants where before I’d
supplied wine.
12
Q
How is New Zealand wine like
New Zealand farmed seafood?
The story for NZ wine is all about the
special combination of climate, water
and soil we have in NZ, along with our
innovative pioneering spirit and our
commitment to quality.
I believe it’s exactly the same for
New Zealand seafood.
Q
How are they different?
The wine industry is made up of over
1000 grower and 700 winery members
and while there has been consolidation
of the industry over recent years,
the seafood industry is much more
consolidated.
NZ wine has also always been
brand led. It recognised early on
that the only game is at the premium
end and focused completely on
this segment of the market. I think
in the seafood industry we’re only
just starting to focus on this position.
The reality is to achieve acceptable
margins with the infrastructure and
labour costs in New Zealand we
cannot compete at a commodity
level. We need to differentiate brand
NZ in the market.
Q
New Zealand wine has developed
a desirable global reputation
– what makes it so attractive to
international wine drinkers and is there
a similar opportunity for NZ farmed
seafood?
In the first instance it’s a very good
product. The industry has worked hard
with the key influencers within the
industry to share the NZ wine story and
win their support. It helps that there are
so many NZ expats around the world
that also pushed the product early
on. On this basis there is definitely a
similar opportunity for NZ seafood - it’s
just now about how we educate our
communities.
Q
What lessons did you learn from
the wine industry that you bring to
aquaculture?
distributor. It’s a partnership relationship.
- Sustainability – this will only continue
to evolve as a business practice for us
all so we have to take ownership, get on
board and lead this movement.
Q
You’ve been with Mt Cook for just
over three years now, while the
company has undergone rapid growth
– is the company on track to reach its
ultimate growth targets and are these
levels of production sustainable?
A few key things:
- Management of supply to meet
demand. The wine industry has gone
through tough times recently when not
only was there oversupply of NZ wine
but also internationally there was a wine
glut. This means knowing the markets
and managing production in line with
your customers expectations. Building
demand for your products - always.
In the past four years the company has
grown almost 10 fold in the number
of fish held on the farm. While there
are still further growth opportunities
ahead of us at present we’re in a
consolidation phase making sure
the business all the way through is
managing this growth. The reality
is, even at full capacity we’ll be
producing less than 3000MT of salmon
so we’re always going to be a small,
niche player in the market.
We cannot compete at a
commodity level. We need
to differentiate brand NZ in
the market.
Q
- Margin – it’s all about cost and
margin. It’s imperative to know your
costs of production and focus on
achieving an appropriate margin.
- Marketing and support – knowing
your customer. It’s important even when
working with importers and distributors
to know the markets you sell in and
to get involved with your customers.
You need to be a selling tool for the
You’ve recently been elected to
the AQNZ board. What drew you
to this governance role?
I like to get involved in the industries in
which I work.
In the wine industry I was a member
of the executive of Wines From
Martinborough, the regional marketing
body. I got involved at its inception
in 2004 and was Chair from 2008 to
2011. Further I was a Director of Toast
Martinborough, which is indisputably
the most successful wine and food
event in New Zealand from 2000 to 2011
(Chair from 2007).
I think an individual business’
success is always in part tied
to that of their industry.
Industry bodies
play important
parts in providing
information,
marketing,
research and
strategy. These
activities need to
be focused and
need to be developed around the
goal of building a great New Zealand
aquaculture industry.
Q
What do you see as Aquaculture
New Zealand’s biggest challenge
over the next 12 months?
There is a large focus on growth as part
of government and industry agendas.
We need to realise how this is actually
going to be achieved given the
limitations that exist.
Q
How’s the future looking for New
Zealand farmed salmon?
The global demand for protein along
with increased growth in salmon as a
category means the future should be a
rosy one. It’s now up to the industry and
the businesses in it on how to leverage
opportunities for their individual growth
- both in volume and price. Obviously
space is a huge issue for the industry.
Q
Do you think it’s important for
New Zealand salmon farmers to
work together?
Given the majority of farmed King
Salmon is produced in New Zealand
we have a point of differentiation from
the rest of the industry that we need to
exploit. To maximise this we have to do
this as an industry.
Q
Mt Cook Alpine is very proactive
in marketing itself as ultra-high
grade salmon – how do you ensure the
product lives up to the hype?
It’s actually all about the product
and it’s quality. Hype and spin won’t
compensate for a product that’s inferior
for long.
We have a unique situation in the
canal systems where the fish have
to swim constantly just to stay still,
making them lean and muscular. This
combined with attention to detail
throughout the production chain
results in a flesh that is delicate, has
great texture, is creamy, minerally and
low in fat.
Q
Is it really that good?
Oh yeah! I’ve experienced over and
over people telling me that they don’t
eat salmon then go onto eat a large
serving of sashimi. Once you can get a
buyer or customer to taste our salmon
there is no going back. n
june 2014
13
T
Just
cook
ls and salmon
e
s
s
u
m
housands of Kiwi school students
across the country are being
challenged to cook New Zealand
farmed seafood for their families as
part of a campaign by New Zealand
Nutrition Foundation (NZNF).
Under a new partnership with
Aquaculture New Zealand, Greenshell
mussels and King salmon are
being promoted in classrooms and
community groups through the NZNF’s
2014 Just Cook: Create a Family
Meal Challenge, where students are
encouraged to create an original
recipe for a family of five.
NZNF dietitian Sarah Hanrahan said
the challenge encouraged young
Kiwis to create a simple delicious and
affordable meal for their family while
building their confidence in the kitchen.
“It is a great way to get them into
the kitchen and thinking about how to
cook easy and affordable meals which
taste great,” Ms Hanrahan said.
“Meals cooked at home and eaten
together are an important step to good
health for New Zealand families.
“If young people are interested and
excited about cooking from an early
age, they will gain an essential life skill
they can take with them, and build on
for the rest of their lives.”
Alongside challenge categories
featuring eggs, chicken, vegetables
and beef and lamb, students can
enter the: Nature’s Superfoods from
our NZ Waters Challenge, with a dish
which features New Zealand salmon or
Greenshell mussels
“The aquaculture industry produces
a great range of healthy and affordable
products which make them well suited for
programmes promoting good nutrition in
Kiwi homes.” Ms Hanrahan said.
“The challenge offers many benefits
The aquaculture
industry produces a
great range of healthy
and affordable products
which make them well
suited for programmes
promoting good nutrition
in Kiwi homes
for the aquaculture
industry as it gets kids
thinking about how
to use your products
and gets them more
comfortable using them
in everyday cooking and
hopefully will be the start of a
long-term relationship as an
on-going consumer of your products.”
AQNZ marketing manager Casey
Marriott said the Challenge provided a
great opportunity to partner with a wellknown and trusted organisation in the
health and nutrition space, providing a
form of third-party endorsement for the
health benefits of our products.
“It gets young Kiwis thinking about
our products as healthy and delicious,
family meal options and how they can
use them at home as part of everyday
meals,” she said.
As well as being promoted to
schools around the country, the NZNF
uses the campaign in communitybased programmes that involved up
to 4000 people.
The winning recipe in each category
will be published in the Healthy Food
Guide, New Zealand’s best-selling
food magazine, and industry will have
access to all the mussel and salmon
recipe creations which will be promoted
through the AQNZ website and social
media platforms. n
Ask
Aquaculture New Zealand’s
Dr Colin Johnston draws on
20 years practical, research and
representative experience to answer
the industry’s technical questions:
is GIA and why is
it relevant to industry?
QWhat
At the end of 2013 Cabinet approved
the Deed document for Government
Industry Agreements (GIA) in the
area of biosecurity readiness and
response. This follows changes to the
biosecurity legislation to enable the
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
to cost recover from beneficiary
industries for biosecurity activity in
the event of a response.
MPI consults affected industries
during a response and decides
on when to respond and how, but
doesn’t legally have to take industry
views into consideration. By joining
the GIA Deed, industries gain a seat
at the decision making table; helping
decide what to respond to and how.
This is a positive step forward, but
comes at a cost. MPI expects decision
makers to share the costs. The Minister
has agreed that this share will never
be more than 50%; plus industry can
set a fiscal cap and protect itself from
unlimited liability.
Industries that don’t sign the GIA
Deed won’t get a say in decision
making, but could be liable for
response costs direct to MPI.
Aquaculture New Zealand is
working through the implications of
signing or not signing the GIA Deed,
but regardless of our opinion, signing
the Deed would require a mandate
from levy payers first. AQNZ will provide
further information, consult widely and
carry out a levy payer vote before any
moves are made to sign the Deed.
More information on GIA is
available at www.gia.org.nz
The industry relies on its
reputation for environmental
Q
sustainability – what work
is being done to retain and
promote this reputation.
The industry’s current environmental
14
framework is
composed of
Environmental
Codes of Practice
(ECOPs) specific
to each species.
These ECOPs have
been independently
benchmarked
against similar
international standards
and performed
exceptionally well in
comparison
However the
environmental
sustainability
landscape is rapidly
changing and there
is an ever increasing
need to demonstrate verification of
our sustainable practices to both
the New Zealand public and our
international markets.
In order to achieve this,
Aquaculture New Zealand
Environment Manager Rebecca
Clarkson is leading a programme to
develop an evolving and cohesive
environmental management
framework that:
•Improves environmental outcomes
•Delivers operational benefits to
sector participants
•Maximises market opportunity
for New Zealand’s aquaculture
products
•Recognises the expectations of
stakeholders and communities
•Enhances the sector’s reputation for
credible environmental stewardship
The redevelopment has been
co-funded by MPI under a three
year Sustainable Farming Fund
programme. At present we are redrafting the three species ECOPs
so that they reflect current industry
practices, the current regulatory
framework, current market issues and
leading global standards.
In conjunction with the revised
febru
Ju
an
ry
e 2014
Dr Colin Johnston
ECOPs we will be developing KPIs
for assessment of compliance with
the standards and a protocol for
scheduled third party assessments
against the ECOPs’ KPIs.
The next stage will be to develop
an online sustainability assessment
and reporting tool for individual
operators, third party auditors
and AQNZ to score and improve
performance across the agreed
standards
The final element of the new
programme will be the development
of a brand story and communications
package which can be utilised to
support the industry’s environmental
proposition, both in New Zealand and
in global markets.
Industry and stakeholder input
on development of the programme
is extremely important. Aquaculture
Direct is leading the engagement
process but if you have not yet been
contacted and want to find out
more contact rebecca.clarkson@
aqauculture.org.nz 021 2442132. n
If you have a technical question you’d
like Colin to answer write to him at
[email protected]
15
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FOR�INFORMATION�PLEASE�CONTACT�
Mike Mandeno
John Gibson
Mobile +64 21 548 330
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[email protected] • www.seafoodinnovations.co.nz