| Onshore
Fish Farming Article
Stuff
2
May 2005
Chinese, Maori look
at onshore fish farming
A new multi-million-dollar
onshore fish farming industry, including processing plants, could
be established in the Bay of Plenty using the latest Chinese technology
and undeveloped Maori land.
A wide variety of fish -
from oysters and scallops to crayfish and flounder - would be farmed
in specially controlled conditions under cover at several sites
in the district.
The fish would be sold locally
and exported to Southeast Asia and other markets.
An official delegation, led
by Yantai Municipal Oceanic and Fishery Affairs Bureau director
Jiang Zing Chun, will visit Tauranga next month to further talks
that began during the mayoral sister city delegation to China in
April.
Export Bay of Plenty president
Rob Jeffrey, a member of the mayoral delegation to China, said the
aquaculture project was shaping up as one of the greatest opportunities
to come to the region for a number of years.
The Chinese expressed strong
interest in making an investment in the Bay of Plenty after receiving
a presentation from Ngati Ranginui chairman Huikakahu Kawe and deputy
chairman Alf McClausland.
"We look forward to
forming a strong relationship with you," Mr Jiang told the
delegation.
"We have a tradition
in fish farming that goes back to 1934 and we can share technology
and make the enterprise profitable and sustainable."
Last week the Ngati Ranginui
Iwi Society board was briefed on the results of the visit and backed
the aquaculture project.
"It exceeded our wildest
expectations and the board had the same enthusiasm about it,"
said Mr Kawe.
"We can generate income
and employment - not just now but for our next generations. Because
of the depletion of stock, land based fish farming is going to be
the way of the future. And we have the opportunity of setting up
a leading edge venture."
Mr Kawe said fish farming
sites could be established on any iwi land in the Western Bay of
Plenty - not just Ngati Ranginui's.
Project teams have been established
in Tauranga and Yantai.
Mr Jiang pledged to put down
cash to match the Maori offer of making land available.
https://www.growfish.com.au/content.asp?contentid=4038
Don Staniford
Aquaculture campaigner
Friends of Clayoquot Sound
www.focs.ca
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