The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
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INDUSTRY FOCUS SHIFTS The New Zealand Aquaculture Conference on November 9-10 marked a change in focus for the industry, as it moves into a new era of sustainable growth. Aquaculture New Zealand's chief executive, Mike Burrell, said the high calibre of speakers highlighted a shift from law reform to investment and innovation. "We had Prime Minister John Key, Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley, leaders from business, government, councils, iwi, the science sector, the education sector, the legal professions, chefs, international guests and celebrities all say the same thing: 'This is a great time to be in the aquaculture industry. We like you. We love your food. Go for it!' "We are now fi ve years into the sector's 20-year strategy and we've come a long way in that time. We have a new law, in-market collaboration, new private and public investment in research and development and marketing and strong partnerships." Burrell said the 300 delegates heard that with the new law now in place, the sector was exploring opportunities for growth. "I am excited to hear about new applications for marine space. We haven't had that in a decade. "However, this is only the beginning and the focus of the sector now changes to investment in new developments, accelerating investment in research and development and marketing, and to attracting and holding the best and brightest people from New Zealand and around the world." INTERNATIONAL SHOW AT MELBOURNE The 2012 Australasian Aquaculture conference and trade show represents an excellent opportunity via its technical programme to showcase the latest developments in the aquaculture world. The show is the biennial event of the National Aquaculture Council of Australia and the World where industry nominees will gather for an evening of entertainment and to recognise excellence in a number of categories. The trade show manager, Mario Stael, says interest in the trade show "has really started to take off." Contact roydpalmer@gmail.com or see www.aquaculture.org.au FARMS COULD COMPROMISE BOATING FUN Yachting New Zealand says the passing of the Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill and the increasing number of signifi cant new applications for marine farms is causing it serious concern. The legislation was encouraging aquaculture development by simplifying the processes involved in applying for space in coastal marine areas and setting up farms. It says aquaculture development should take place in areas where there will be no adverse effect on the community's access to the CMA for recreational use. It also says: • government (central, regional and local) place appropriate weight on the importance of recreational boating concerns • any aquaculture structures are illuminated and marked so they are visible in all conditions • all aquaculture farm owners pay a bond to cover the removal of structures once the farms outlive their usefulness, and • governments need to consider the impact new farms will have on local tourism and marine industries. "Yachting NZ is not opposed to aquaculture per se," says the chief executive, David Abercrombie, "(but) it is important that aquaculture development takes place in areas where there will be no adverse effect on the community's access to the water for recreational use." Yachting NZ says it wants to ensure Aquaculture Society. Sponsored by Skretting, it will be held from May 1-4 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. "Collaborative events like this are an excellent opportunity to learn from each other while showcasing the best our industry has to offer," says the programme chair, Dr Geoff Allan. "The programme will provide plenty of thought-provoking commentary about the current state of the industry and where it is headed. Global leaders will gather to discuss best practices and generate discussions geared for open, honest debate," Dr Allan said. The programme will include a fully integrated trade show, workshops, technical tours, presentations, multiple networking events, open networking time and an area for one-on-one meetings. Australasian Aquaculture's inaugural AAA Awards will take place at NGV Australia, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ 5 regional coastal plans to consider the effect aquaculture has on boating, such as bays, sheltered anchorages and popular diving and fi shing spots. Otherwise many yacht clubs would face appealing decisions at great cost or face losing some traditional sailing and cruising grounds. This could have an adverse affect on New Zealand as a destination for foreign cruising vessels, especially superyachts. Farm owners should publicise the existence of a new farm to reduce the risk of collisions. UN SAYS AQUACULTURE CAN REDUCE POVERTY Aquaculture will become a crucial source of reducing poverty and combating food insecurity says a United Nations report released on November 10. The Food and Agriculture Organization is calling on governments to step up their efforts to support the practice. Aquaculture is the world's fastest growing source of animal protein, growing by more than 60 percent between 2000 and 2008, or from 32.4 million tonnes to 52.5 million tonnes, according to the report, World Aquaculture in 2010. "With stagnating global capture fi shery production and an increasing population, aquaculture is perceived as having the greatest potential to produce more fi sh in the future to meet the growing demand for safe and quality aquatic food," said the report. It says aquaculture has played an important role in reducing poverty in many parts of the world. However, the industry has not grown evenly around the world. Eleven out of the 15 leading aquaculture- producing countries are in the Asia-Pacifi c region, and in 2008 they accounted for 89.1 percent of global production. Remarkably, China alone contributed to 62.3 percent of production in the region that year. The report also states that there are marked differences in production levels and types of production. China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and India, for example, lead production of shrimp and prawns, while Norway and Chile produce mostly salmon. The report warns that governments need to invest in aquaculture so they can continue to enjoy its benefi ts and address the challenges that are linked to this practice. Key concerns regarding aquaculture include quality and safety standards, traceability, certifi cation and eco-labelling. In addition, aquaculture faces major challenges due to climate change and the economic downturn in many countries, which could particularly affect small producers in Asia and Africa, where they make up the backbone of the industry. The report calls for governments to increase their efforts to assist small-scale producers by organising them into associations and through the promotion of better management practices to ensure the industry can continue to meet the global demand for fi sh.