On behalf of Aquaculture New Zealand, it is my pleasure to officially welcome you to the New Zealand Aquaculture Conference, 2011.
Coming fresh after the implementation of the new aquaculture laws, this year’s conference is the perfect platform for planning the way forward.
Our coordinated, sector-wide effort and cooperation with Government has delivered an enabling regulatory framework that removes the roadblocks of the past and provides certainty for the aquaculture sector in the future.
But with these new laws less than six weeks old, it’s still too early for our sector to realise the full extent of the change they’ll create.
There is a sense of relief about – but there’s also plenty of work to be done. Law reform is just one component of our strategy for planned and sustained growth.
We need continued focus on productivity, innovation and value-added marketing to drive us toward our billion-dollar goal and that has been a key driver behind the conference.
We’ve brought together experts from across all corners of the business community to give you ideas and inspiration to make the most of the opportunities the new laws create.
It is my pleasure to welcome back the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. John Key, and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Hon. Phil Heatley and on behalf of the sector I thank them for their support of the aquaculture industry over the years.
I’d also like to thank all our speakers for coming to share their ideas and experience. And last but not least, I thank all those working in the sector. Not just for coming today, but for years of toughing it out on the water. The conference has become an integral event for the sector.
But the change that’s afoot makes this year’s conference the most important yet as there has never been a more crucial time to come together and plot the way forward.
I look forward to seeing you over the next few days.
Peter Vitasovich,
Chair