Inaugural seafood awards honour sustainability
Hon Stuart Nash
Minister of
Fisheries
Scientists and innovative fishing operators from Stewart Island and Fiordland to Nelson, Marlborough and Wellington have been honoured in the first ever Seafood Sustainability Awards.
Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has congratulated the winners of the inaugural Seafood Sustainability Awards held at Parliament.
“The awards night honoured six winners, from a wide array of applicants highlighting the innovation and commitment to sustainability,” Stuart Nash said.
“I established the awards to recognise and celebrate those throughout industry, tangata whenua and communities who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation towards the sustainability of New Zealand’s seafood sector.
“Sustainability of our wild fish stocks, aquaculture, and the wider aquatic environment is a priority. These awards recognise innovation and the adoption of fishing methods which are critical to encouraging sustainability in our seafood sector.
“There are a lot of innovative people doing really hard work to enhance the long-term sustainability of New Zealand’s kaimoana. Some of these efforts go under the radar. These awards acknowledge and celebrate those efforts and the people and businesses behind them.
Richard Wells from Resourcewise took out the Supreme Sustainability Award for his longstanding commitment to sustainability in the seafood sector.
“He has worked to reduce the bycatch of protected species in New Zealand by developing and implementing the Deepwater Protected Species Bycatch Liaison Programme. He also developed vessel management plans across the deepwater fleet, and tools and methods to mitigate bycatch.”
Dr Rosemary Hurst of NIWA won the Minister of Fisheries’ Award in recognition of 40 years contribution to fisheries science.
“Rosie has devoted her working life to fisheries research and helped shape the policy behind our deep-water fisheries and the Quota Management System. She has forged a path for female scientists and is deeply respected within the sector.
“All of the finalists selected are making a significant contribution to the sector and they should be very proud of the work they are doing. I hope their work will inspire others to adopt further innovative practices,” said Mr Nash.
More information is available here: https://www.fisheries.govt.nz/about-us/our-work/scholarships-and-awards/new-zealand-seafood-sustainability-awards
Award
winners:
Operational Innovation
Award
Winner: The CRA8 Rock Lobster
Industry Association Inc
The CRA8 Rock Lobster
Industry Association Inc (the Association) has promoted a
range of initiatives focused on fishery and environmental
management. Including a new and more responsive method to
determine catch limits and maximise economic returns while
maintaining high stock abundance.
Finalists:
Richard Wells - Resourcewise and Precision Seafood
Harvesting
The Lee-Fish Limited
Award for Market Innovation and Value
Added
Winner: New Zealand King Salmon Co
Ltd.
New Zealand King Salmon are the world’s
largest King salmon producer, with 30 years’ experience in
farming, processing and branding.
Through hard work and
innovation, they have developed into one of New Zealand’s
leading aquaculture companies; respected for clean, healthy
and humane practices as well as superior quality
salmon.
Their products are world-class, and their
branding and marketing strategies are out of this
world.
Finalists: Better Fishing and Awatoru
Enterprises Limited
Kaitiakitanga
Award
Winner: Richard Wells-
Resourcewise
Richard is an Environmental and
industry leader with huge mana. Richard’s major
contributions to protected species bycatch management in New
Zealand include: the development and implementation of the
deepwater protected species bycatch liaison programme;
Vessel Management Plans across the deepwater fleet; and
bycatch mitigation and science for our native seabirds, sea
lions and other marine mammals.
Finalists: The
CRA8 Rock Lobster Industry Association Inc and Aaron McCloy
– Papa Taiao Earthcare
Supreme
Sustainability Award
Winner: Richard
Wells- Resourcewise
The judging panel selected
Richard Wells (Resourcewise) as the winner of this award due
to his consistent and longstanding commitment to
sustainability in the seafood sector. Richard was selected
as a finalist for the Operational Innovation Award and
winner of the Kaitiakitanga Award.
The judges noted
Richard’s willingness to share the knowledge he has gained
through research into bycatch, as well as into New Zealand's
native seabirds, sea lions, and other marine mammals to
build capacity in people and systems, and his collaborative
approach to problem solving.
“Richard’s work has
resulted in increased use of methods to mitigate bycatch,
and the development of a culture built on pride,
responsibility, and accountability in the deepwater fleet.
His work has helped to protect marine mammals and
bird-life.
Emerging Leader
Award
Winner: Nate Smith - Gravity
Fishing
As a commercial fisherman, Nate observed
how fish stocks were declining in the waters around Stewart
Island. In response to this, his boat and crew changed their
method of fishing to hook and line, with a catch to order
business model providing 100% traceability and transparency
for their product.
By combining hook and line fishing, a
traditional Japanese technique called Ikijimi and modern
technology, Gravity Fishing has created a truly sustainable
business focused on providing high quality and sustainable
fish from hook to plate.
Finalists: Josh
Wyber- High Country Salmon and Maegen Blom – Mills Bay
Mussels
Minister of Fisheries
Award
Winner: Rosemary Hurst, National
Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research
Rosemary is one of New Zealand’s
forerunner fisheries research and science management experts
whose lifelong commitment to fisheries research has helped
develop policies and procedures for Deepwater fisheries and
the Quota Management System. She developed the inshore
fishery trawl surveys, first estimates of stock yields, and
standardised monitoring approaches used for
hoki.
Finalists: The CRA8 Rock Lobster
Industry Association Inc and Scott and Sue
Tindale