Salmon farm demonstrates benefits proposed

Salmon farm demonstrates benefits proposed in aquaculture reform

New Zealand’s biggest integrated salmon producer says government proposals for aquaculture reform will have major benefits for the economy and the industry.

NZ King Salmon says its Clay Point salmon farm in the Marlborough Sounds is a prime example of how sustainable development of aquaculture assets are good for New Zealand’s economic development.

CEO Grant Rosewarne says the company supports the government’s plans for the future shape of the industry to achieve $1 billion in sales by 2025.

He says NZ King Salmon’s Clay Point farm has brought $27 million in new sales to the industry - around half of which are exports - as well as 33 new jobs for New Zealanders.

“Currently we are running our business on five surface hectares of water space and if we can increase this to only 20 hectares we are confident of growing in to a half billion dollar company,” Mr Rosewarne says.

“We have had no new water space allocated for six years and while Clay Point did not come on stream until 2008 it was authorised before 2004. We have demonstrated good, sustainable use of the water space at Clay Point and we have done that in partnership with the local iwi.”

Mr Rosewarne says the company is committed to sustainability and viability of a renewable resource and that is good for the whole country.

“Our King salmon are renowned for their taste, colour and texture and we would do nothing to compromise those marketing benefits. Our success is centred on protecting the disease-free purity of the waters in which the salmon are reared to ensure an absolutely safe, tasty and nutritious product.”

Mr Rosewarne welcomes the creation of a business unit within the Ministry of Fisheries as recognition of the role companies such as NZ King Salmon can play in the future economic development of New Zealand.

“As the minister points out, aquaculture needs the right platform to realise its full potential. We can assure him and all New Zealanders that the goals are achievable with due respect to the environment and that has been demonstrated by our Clay Point facility.”

NZ King Salmon is New Zealand’s biggest integrated aquaculture producer and employs more than 400 skilled workers currently producing 7,500 metric tonnes of King salmon annually. The company is the world’s biggest farmer and supplier of the King salmon variety.

NZ King Salmon has the highest natural oil content of all salmon - a rich source of healthy Omega-3.

ENDS

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