Crown Funding for Aquaculture Innovation Welcomed

Crown Funding for Aquaculture Innovation Welcomed

Cawthron Institute is welcoming $1.69 million dollars of government funding for its Glenhaven aquaculture research facility, on the outskirts of Nelson.

The money will support continued development of the research facility for seafood and aquaculture innovation.

Cawthron has contributed research and development expertise to the aquaculture sector from its Nelson facilities since 1991 and last month turned the first sod on the beginning of a major upgrade of its facilities – the first new building at the Glenhaven site in 15 years.

Cawthron CEO Gillian Wratt says the $1.69M dollars of government support, announced today, will help fund research space and enabling infrastructure for research providers and industry, as well as educational facilities for Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (to teach its new Diploma in Aquaculture course due to start next year).

“This money will now guarantee the provision of a world-class aquaculture research and technology centre for New Zealand that, when completed, will facilitate collaboration, provide infrastructure critical for the successful transfer of research and development outcomes, and enable others in the sector to also benefit from the development.”

In announcing the funding support, Economic Development Minister, Gerry Brownlee said the investment in the facility, owned by the Cawthron Institute, was likely to result in substantial national economic benefits.

“The industry goal is to grow aquaculture sector sales to $1 billion by 2025. This funding along with other initiatives, such as upcoming legislative reforms, is part of the government’s commitment to that goal.”

The Glenhaven Aquaculture Centre will provide the opportunity for aquaculture organisations to take a product or technique from research through to pilot scale commercial production on one site. It will also allow greater collaboration between research organisations, education providers and industry.

Cawthron Institute and Wakatu Incorporation had jointly applied to the Ministry of Economic Development’s enterprising partnership fund for a total of $10.45 million dollars. Most of this was to go to the Horoirangi Centre for Seafood and Aquaculture, which aims to ramp up research and the commercial development of the aquaculture industry.

Gillian Wratt says while Cawthron is clearly pleased government has seen fit to support its work, they are also disappointed the whole proposal was not able to be funded at this stage.

“We would like to continue to work with Wakatu and hope that they and the government will continue to explore options to ensure the success of their project, which we clearly see adding value to New Zealand’s aquaculture sector.”

Cawthron Commercial Manager, Daryl Wehner says Cawthron sees its Glenhaven research facilities as only the first step in the development of a Nelson-based aquaculture research and commercial centre that will not only provide a venue for science and industry to collaborate at a research scale but also provide the means to take that research to market.

“We are still hopeful of seeing development that will enable industry to take the pilot scale innovations we will be instrumental in creating into full scale commercial ventures under the umbrella of the Horoirangi Centre for Seafood and Aquaculture, all in this one location.”

Further staged research and development facilities are planned at Glenhaven as demand dictates which will eventually take the cost of the shared research facility and associated site infrastructure to close on $6M on completion, including the $1.69M of government funding.

Cawthron is excited at the prospect of expanding its facility to be able to continue to support the aquaculture industry which is a significant earner for the New Zealand economy.

ENDS

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