People and livestock gobble so much fish that the seas soon won't keep up. Is the answer to grow fish on land? Kate Evans meets scientists figuring out the puzzles of how to farm some of New Zealand's iconic ocean creatures.
Many of our fisheries are under pressure. At the same time people are eating more fish. Could farming iconic New Zealand species be the future? And what are the advantages of growing fish on land?
A new lease of life
Ocean Beach used to process lambs, a record of 20 000 in one day, but now it's gullies and troughs run with seawater, not blood. Home to the New Zealand Abalone company and Manaaki Whitebait it's become one the frontiers of New Zealand aquaculture - growing fish indoors.
Pāua puzzles and whitebait mysteries
It's not an easy task. Growing fish on land means taking responsibility for their needs throughout their life cycle. First you must identify those needs, account for them in an indoor setting, and make the whole process as efficient as possible so you can still turn a profit. It takes trial and error, and patience.
Learn more:
- Read the accompanying New Zealand Geographic article by Kate Evans, with photography by Richard Robinson.
- Seaweed is also being farmed in a specialised warehouse space in Tauranga.
- Recently the green light has been given for an open ocean salmon farm in the Cook Strait
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