Gary Hooper: Aquaculture NZ CEO on the Government's financial boost for salmon farming

The Government's sinking just under $12 million into salmon farming. 

The five-year aquaculture investment will increase production and drive-up exports. 

It's estimating the extra support will create an additional $500 million of exports by 2035. 

Aquaculture New Zealand Chief Executive Gary Hooper told Andrew Dickens that's a conservative figure. 

He says when everything is up and running, there will be up-to 60-million tonnes worth of exports annually – pushing a billion dollars in value. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The government's betting our aquaculture will go from strength to strength.
That's putting almost twelve million dollars into salmon farming mainly
to expand it to deep water and to prove that
it all works. If it does, it's thought it could
increase salmon exports by five hundred million dollars. So Aquaculture
New Zealand CEO Gary Hooper has got up early for us.
Good morning to hear Gary.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh, good morning, Andrew, good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
So tell me about deep water salmon farming and how
will this money help.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I'm pleased. It was great news yesterday and of
course this is a good news water story. In contrary
to what's happening in Wellington, it seems look a wonderful announcement.
Eleven point seven million co invested in a program. It's
a five year program. The total programs twenty nine million
dollars in this with New Zealand King Salmon's Blue Endeavor

(00:50):
project in the top end just just off or seven
kilometers off the northern end of the Marlboro Sounds. And
it is a essentially a proof of commercial pilot and
there's three elements to it. Is the farming system, a
new freshwater hatchery using RAS technology, recirculating aquaculture system technology,

(01:12):
So that's novel, and of course is the breeding components
as well, to ensure we get the most resilient and
productive fish farms out there. The five hundred million dollar experts,
I think that's pretty conservative. When this system, when this

(01:33):
farms up and running, and there are others in the pipeline,
could be up to fifty or sixty thousand tons in total.
That would when it's all up and running, that would
be well in excess of a billion dollars. So I
think five hundred million by twenty thirty five that's probably conservative,

(01:53):
but also quite realistic.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
If you're saying twelve million from the government, thirty million
dollar spent, so many a billion dollars coming in. If
it's such a good investment, why hasn't the private sector
been getting stuck in?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
So this is a pioneering activity and it's kind of
new anywhere. You know the handful of countries that are
fortunate enough to be able to farm salmon because of
their know they have appropriate water conditions, et cetera. Traditionally
it's been in sheltered, enclosed waters. The move to salmon

(02:29):
farming and expansion of salmon farming. And New Zealand's not
the only country with ambitions, but likely future growth is
to be in the open water conditions. Are you know,
obviously more energized out there, and new systems need to
be developed to achieve that.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Are there any not without.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Sorry, it has its challenges and look the reason the
governments are getting behind it not only is that the
export growth opportunity, but the experience and the learnings, you know,
the systems that will be developed can be passed on

(03:13):
to other entrants. And bear in mind one of the
quite unique situations that New Zealand has is any new aquaculture.
So any new aquaculture has a commercial mari commercial agriculture
settlement component. So in many ways, e we are hardwired

(03:34):
into the opportunity and so that's kind of a unique
element too. And anything that we can help de risk
that and accelerate the development has to be a good thing.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well, we love an increase in exports, don't we. Gary Hooper,
who's from Aquaculture and New Zealand, he's the CEO, Thank
you so much for joining us. For more from earlier
edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to news talks. It
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