In the past 30 years aquaculture in New Zealand has grown from very small beginnings to a significant primary industry, currently estimated to be worth in excess of $380 million, with a target goal of reaching $1 billion in sales by 2025.

• Sustainable aquaculture has the potential to make a significant contribution to New Zealand’s economy. Currently offering employment to over 3,000 people, this figure is expected to increase significantly within the coming years.
• The Aquaculture sector is the fastest growing seafood sector.
• The Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicts that global consumer demand for seafood will almost double from 45 to 85 million tonnes by 2015.
• It is estimated that aquaculture will increase from 42% to 58% of global seafood production by 2020.
• The growth in global fish protein consumption to 2020 will be from developing countries – over half of which will come from the Asia-Pacific region.
• New Zealand’s aquaculture produce is currently exported to 79 countries worldwide.
• An industry drive supported by government for new species development is assisting the sector to move towards new, high value species and value added products that promise to be the future of aquaculture in New Zealand.
• New Zealand is recognised as operating one of the strictest quality assurance programmes for shellfish in the world.
• New Zealand is unique in the fact that it does not use antibiotics, pesticides, growth promotants or vaccines in Salmon farming practices.