Aquaculture in your region
Environment Waikato
Background
Since marine farming begain in the region in the late 1960s, about 70 hectares of oyster farms and over 900 hectares of mussel farms have been developed. Most of these marine farms are located around the western coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula with the main concentration in the vicinity of Coromandel and Manaia harbours. All of these farms are now deemed Aquaculture Management Areas (AMAs).
Marine farming and processing of the product contributes $27 million to the region's GDP and directly employs 270 FTE which represents about 2 per cent of the resident working age population of the Thames-Coromandel district. A further 520 hectares have been allocated to shellfish farming in the Wilson Bay zone.
Current status
The Waikato Regional Coastal Plan currently only allows shellfish farming and prohibits all other types of aquaculture. Environment Waikato has begun exploring options to allow new types of aquaculture, such as kingfish farming, to be trialled within the existing AMAs.
Area B of the Wilson Bay Zone became an interim AMA at the start of 2008. This area consists of 520 hectares and is subject to applications for spat catching. Environment Waikato has asked the Ministry of Fisheries to assess the impacts of this area on fishing and fishery resources. Following this assessment 20 per cent of the Area (104 hectares) will be allocated to Takutai Trustee, the trustee for aquaculture space allocated to Māori. On completion of this process Area B will become an operative AMA.
Contact information
Coastal Planning Team
Environment Waikato
Box 4010
Hamilton East
Phone: 0800 800 401
Email: info@ew.govt.nz
Website: www.ew.govt.nz
Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004
To find out about the iwi recognised under the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 contact Raina Meha, Senior Policy Analyst for Aquaculture, Te Ohu Kaimoana at mehar@teohu.maori.nz or by calling 04 931 9500.
For an overview by region of interim harbour and coastal settlement obligations view the Ministry of Fisheries’ Aquaculture Settlement Register.
