The Ministry for Primary Industries has published the ‘Government’s Aquaculture Strategy and Five-year Action Plan’. The strategy and action plan establishes a whole-of-government pathway to facilitate the sustainable growth of New Zealand’s aquaculture sector, working to enable the sector to achieve its goal of $1 billion in annual sales by 2025.
The strategy is available for download and viewing at:
http://www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Aquaculture/Aquaculture+strategy
This strategy and action plan aligns with both the aquaculture industry’s strategy and the Ministry for Primary Industries’ 2030 Strategy of ‘growing and protecting New Zealand’, setting out how the Government can support the growth ambitions established by the sector. It also complements existing Government environmental and economic initiatives and upholds the Crown’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.
The strategy establishes seven objectives under which Government action falls, values and behaviours to guide our work with stakeholders and the roles and responsibilities across Government. While establishing a commitment to enabling growth, an essential part of the Government’s commitment is to ensure aquaculture growth takes place within acceptable environmental limits and respects other uses and values of our waterways and marine environment.
Through the strategy and action plan the Government will:
- implement the new aquaculture law and work with councils and the public to plan for sensible and sustainable future aquaculture growth in accordance with New Zealand’s laws and regulations;
- ensure the laws and frameworks governing the establishment and operation of marine and land-based aquaculture are effective and responsive, and enable industry investment;
- deliver on the Crown’s aquaculture settlement obligations to Māori and identify opportunities for improving Māori wellbeing though aquaculture development;
- build our knowledge of environmental effects and ensure a healthy aquatic environment;
- maintain and build our world-leading animal health and welfare, food safety, and biosecurity standards;
- encourage investment and adoption of innovation;
- facilitate continued discussion between industry, government, Māori and the public as to how aquaculture should grow and be managed in New Zealand.
Development of the strategy and action plan was strongly influenced by input during workshops with stakeholders in 2011. For those of you that participated in such workshops, we thank you for your contributions and hope the strategy and action plan reflects your interests in enabling sustainable growth.
