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
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/50910
NEWS SALMON COMPANY CHOOSES NEW SITES New Zealand King Salmon has designated sites in the Marlborough Sounds where it would like to establish eight new salmon farms. It sought permission from the Environmental Protection Authority shortly after the Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Act (No 3) came into force in August. The proposed locations are at Ruaomoko Point, Kaitapeha Bay and Ngamahau Bay, Richmond Bay, Taipipi, Wymens Bay and White Horse Rock in the Waitata Reach, and Papatua in Port Gore. Each site will span 16.5ha, except for Papatua, which is 91ha and Ruaomoko, which is 14.1ha. The new sites would help the company boost production from 8900 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes per year by 2015. Only a fraction of the Papatua site would be farmed at any one time, said the chief executive, Grant Rosewarne. Port Gore's distinctive environmental conditions would necessitate a different farming method and Papatoa would require plastic circles instead of a rectangular farm, he said. The company says it spent 15 months seeking suitable sites around the sounds and invested $2 million into scientifi cally proving the eight locations were suitable for salmon farming before it submitted its application to the EPA. "We can create huge value using a tiny amount of space, while farming sustainably in perpetuity. I cannot believe our application will not be granted and we have no backup plan," Rosewarne said. If the application is approved, all eight farms would be operating within three years. "As far as possible we have avoided sites where others have expressed a strong view. Having said this, it is not possible to fi nd sites with unanimous endorsement from all members of the sounds community." The Environmental Defence Society has called on NZ King Salmon to put a hold on its applications. The chairman, Gary Taylor, said there were questions about the capacity of the Marlborough Sounds to absorb more aquaculture as they had important landscape values and were a popular tourist destination. "We would like to see all parties pause and engage in a collaborative process to look at the long-term future of the area and produce a marine spatial plan. This should be done outside the confi nes of the Resource Management Act and would examine where marine farming is acceptable and where it is not. "It would also take a strategic look at other activities in the sounds, including anchorages, open space and other uses," Taylor said. "A spatial plan could consider whether mussel farming sites should be made available for higher-value salmon farming and could examine the water quality impacts of both. This would give everyone certainty about the future." SALMON PRODUCT WINS SUPREME FOOD AWARD Mt Cook Alpine Salmon's Saikou Sushi Grade Salmon product won the prestigious Supreme Award at the 2011 New Zealand Food Awards 2011 held at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland on October 19. The chief awards judge, Ray McVinnie, said the salmon stood out for its excellent taste and the innovative operations system that ensured the farmed fi sh reached customers in the best condition. "The quality has changed the world of DNA BARCODES CONFIRM FISH ORIGIN Restaurants around the world could soon use new DNA technology to assure patrons they are being served a genuine fi sh fi llet or shellfi sh from a particular source, rather than an inferior product. The United States Food and Drug Administration has offi cially approved DNA barcoding. The standardised fi ngerprint can identify a fi sh species in the same way a supermarket scanner reads a barcode to prevent the mislabelling of locally produced or imported seafood. According to the report, released in October, other national regulators around the world are also considering using the barcodes for fast, reliable and cost-effective identifi cation of organic matter. American palaeontologist David Schindel says he has started discussions about the technology with restaurateurs and seafood suppliers. "When they sell something that's really expensive, they want the consumer to believe they're getting what they're paying for," says Schindel. "We're going to start seeing a self-regulating movement by the high-end trade embracing barcoding as a mark of quality." While it would not be viable to test every fi sh for DNA, it would be possible to sample several fi sh in an aquaculture tank or pond or from a net, he said. Mislabelling is widespread in the seafood industry and usually involves cheaper species being sold as more expensive varieties. salmon," said McVinnie. "Mt Cook Alpine Salmon is a prime example of New Zealand home-grown produce at its best – packaged to perfection, fi nest grain and destined for the best sushi restaurants in the world." The company won three other awards for food safety, outstanding achievement and innovation in food operations and outstanding achievement in product innovation. The food safety judge for the awards, Professor John Brooks of AUT, said the company paid meticulous attention to detail in post-harvest handling. This enabled Mt Cook Alpine Salmon to extend the typical shelf-life of this fresh product from seven days to 15, thus extending its access to export markets in North America. Geoff Matthews, the chief executive of Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, said the company had to re-examine its entire value-added chain in creating the Saikou Sushi Grade Salmon. "We had to re-engineer the whole business and create innovative new processes," said Matthews. AQUACULTURE CHIEF STEPS DOWN The chief executive of Aquaculture New Zealand, Mike Burrell, is standing down after fi ve years at the helm of the industry's representative body. Burrell led the development of the New Zealand Aquaculture Strategy in 2006 before founding the new industry organisation the following year. The chairman, Peter Vitasovich, said Burrell was leaving the organisation in a very strong position. "Under Mike's leadership, Aquaculture NZ has been able to achieve many of the objectives in the sector strategy. This has included reforming the aquaculture law, increasing investment in research and development and working with companies to develop key export market opportunities," Vitasovich said. Burrell will remain in the role until March, before taking up a position within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "I feel privileged to have been a part of the team that established a single voice for the aquaculture industry and in helping to put in place the foundations to transform the sector," Burrell said. 4 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012