Fish farm set to get the green light

Kingfish destined for domestic and international markets could create a $60 million industry. Photo / NZME.

Bream Bay is poised to anchor a $60 million-a-year kingfish production facility, with early indications from a government market study suggesting the project could get the green light.

Research into breeding yellowtail kingfish by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) at the Bream Bay Aquaculture Park is ready for commercial investment.

A market demand study into the product is in draft stage with the full report, funded by Northland Regional Council's Growth and Investment Reserve, due in coming days.

Kingfish is known as "the salmon of the subtropics", with products including whole fillets and sushi, and the high-value Japanese delicacy sashimi.

The supply of Northland kingfish would not be limited to the Japanese market, due to domestic and international demand for the luxury food.

Land-based operations were ready to go, said assistant regional manager for the park Michael Bruce, as Niwa could now produce 500,000 fingerlings per year (small kingfish between 5-10kg), which could be moved to the commercial growth stage. Research was completed six years ago into breeding techniques, as well as hatchery and nursery technology.

"We have lots of water and land, as well as resource consent for taking water and discharging it from the facility, with a freshwater fish farm licence for the entire park."

Speaking at a meeting in Waipu in September, Niwa chief scientist for aquaculture and biotechnology Andrew Forsythe said the park's technology could support a 2000-6000 tonnes a year industry. One thousand tonnes have a sale value of $10 million to fish farmers.

Opportunities for growing caged kingfish out at sea also existed at Bream Bay. However, the Government was still exploring freeing up water for industry and there were no Bream Bay sea-based sites identified yet.

Any land-based farm would be housed in a low building on-site, with fish growing in tanks.

Dr Bruce said it was a rare benefit to have a commercial fish farm neighbouring the national research body.

Opportunities were not confined to the 5.5-hectare Bream Bay Aquaculture Park. There was scope for fish farms outside the boundaries of the park, he said, but operators would need to apply for their own resource consent and licences.

The call for investors at Bream Bay is part of the Northland Aquaculture Development Group's Growing Northland Aquaculture Development Plan, launched in 2012 and projecting the industry's growth to $300 million by 2030, with the creation of 700 jobs.

With ample industrial-zoned land in the neighbouring Marsden, there was scope for development.

The park already houses OceaNZ Blue paua farm, which takes up one-third of the site.

Northland Inc chief executive David Wilson said the kingfish market demand study was due any day and would identify opportunities. He described aquaculture as one of Northland's "sunrise sectors". If opportunities were identified - "and early indications suggests there is a demand for kingfish" - Northland Inc could look at supporting creation of the facility and investment structure.