Aquaculture
Ōpōtiki District is set to become the largest aquaculture district in New Zealand.
Spurred into action by a report commissioned in 2017 by the Regional Aquaculture Organisation (RAO) which highlighted up to 17,000 hectares of potential aquaculture space for development in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, the region is confidently expanding its sustainable aquaculture ventures.
Industry growth is being accelerated by innovative projects such as the development of a consented area of 3,800 hectares of marine farm located 8.5 kilometres offshore from Ōpōtiki. Initiated in 2016, the venture is led by Eastern Sea Farms Limited and allows Whakatōhea Mussels Operating Limited and other companies to sustainably farm and harvest mussels commercially.
This has given rise to additional development on land in the form of a new $35M factory opened by Whakatōhea Mussels Operating Limited in July 2021. This facility is processing mussels for domestic and international markets, significantly boosting employment in the region.
The next step in reinforcing the expansion of aquaculture in the region is the progression of the Ōpōtiki Harbour project. In 2020, Ōpōtiki District Council and Whakatōhea secured Provincial Growth Fund backing to create the Ōpōtiki Harbour. The benefits of this promise to be huge, with all weather, all tide access to the sea farms set to deliver substantial benefits to the industry and community.
In addition, a marina is being developed to safely berth boats and allow produce to be easily transferred to trucks.
Ōpōtiki Harbour
Currently, a $100M harbour development is under construction in Ōpōtiki. This key infrastructure will provide all weather, all tide access for vessels and provide easy access to the expanding sea farm operations in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Construction of the harbour is scheduled to be complete by December 2023.
This major infrastructure project received $79.4M funding as part of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), plus $20M of funding through Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Regional Infrastructure Fund.
You can find information on the detailed business case submitted for PGF funding for the Ōpōtiki Harbour project here.
To get current updates on the boat harbour, visit the Ōpōtiki District Council Facebook page.
Seafarms
With up to 17,000 hectares of potential aquaculture space recently identified, there is no shortage of opportunity available. Once developed, this region will be home to one of the largest open ocean aquaculture farms in the world.
3,800 hectares of this space has already been consented to Eastern Sea Farms with Whakatōhoea Mussels Operating Limited managing the setup and operations for this sea farm since 2016.
Find how this supports the overall NZ Aquaculture strategy here.
Mussel Processing
The $35M state of the art mussel processing factory operated by Whakatōhea Mussels Operating Limited was opened in July 2021.
This cutting-edge factory will produce between 40 and 50 tonnes a day of kūtai (mussels) for national and international distribution.
In September 2021, Open Ocean - Whakatōhea Mussel Ōpōtiki Limited secured a possible $400M per year in overseas opportunity to deliver its product to the US.
The factory currently employs 136 people. With significant expansion planned in the near future, this is expected to increase to an impressive 280 jobs by 2025.
For up-to-date activities on the mussel processing factory, visit.
Marina Development
New marine and industrial infrastructure construction is also rapidly advancing, as part of the overall investment in Ōpōtiki’s aquaculture goals.
$8.8M of Provincial Growth Funding has been secured to support development of this marina and industrial zone.
Currently resource consents are being driven forward and the development of this area is planned for completion by December 2023, scheduled to align with the opening of the harbour.
On shore Aquaculture
In addition to our open ocean developments, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Aotearoa Mussel Limited are progressing an opportunity to develop a land-based mussel spat hatchery in Te Kaha. Alongside this, a research programme being conducted by Cawthron Institute and supported by Callaghan Innovations is also taking place.
Developments like these are contributing to central Government’s aim to make New Zealand world-leaders in sustainable innovative aquaculture and our region will be at the absolute forefront of that movement.
For more information see the Te Whānau-ā-Apanui Facebook page.
Regional Aquaculture Organisation
There are significant opportunities being progressed within this sector throughout the Eastern Bay of Plenty, not only in mussels, but among other species such as scallops, fin fish, seaweed and other premium marine products. A sector strategy is being developed by the newly refreshed Regional Aquaculture Organisation (RAO). Toi EDA are active partners in the development of this strategy.