Add paua to our mussels

Paua farming on Marlborough land with access to seawater has merit, says fisheries consultant Bruce Shallard. Paua, known in international markets as abalone, and mussel farming could develop separately or together.

From a Marlborough perspective, there is merit in looking at co-ordinated development of commercially sized abalone ventures. The Sounds has the land, the access to good-quality seawater and skilled labour. The region can access proven technology and established marketing channels, he says.

New Zealander Bruce Shallard, an international fisheries consultant, was one of the authors of the fisheries Quota Management System introduced by and for New Zealand in 1986. He developed and managed the system until 1995.

Since then, he has consulted internationally on a range of fisheries management and development issues for both wild-caught and aquaculture-farmed fish. From 1980 onwards, as a Ministry of Fisheries manager, he had a role in licensing New Zealand's then growing mussel farming industry.

Mr Shallard says that in recent years, aquaculture in NZ has stagnated explained by delays resolving Maori access to aquaculture, RMA problems and a largely monocultural approach to aquaculture, dominated by mussels.

While greenshell mussels are a successful New Zealand export earner, they are not a preferred food in the major population centres of the world, he says.

"Mussel farmers need to think about diversification both in terms of using their valuable water space for a wider variety of species, and diversifying into land-based farming as well."

Diversification could include land-based rearing of abalone. "Investment in this type of farming has had mixed results, but the inescapable fact is that, internationally, abalone has a significant unsatisfied demand."

He says those who have exported abalone from New Zealand are finding a good market. One of the major markets is China, which, to be addressed successfully, needs larger quantities of product than NZ has produced to date.

NZ Crown research institute Niwa says wild abalone production is stagnant, and increases must come from farming.

Abalone is one of the highest-value seafoods. Niwa reports that in 2005, estimated international demand was 27,000 metric tonnes. It has produced a model showing the profitable potential. Abalone sales of $1 million need 28 tonnes to be produced in a 4500-square-metre tank area. Niwa figures suggest that in 2002, NZ's legal harvest, live weight, was 1153 tonnes, and illegal production was 400 tonnes. Australia produced 4979 tonnes legally and 1000 tonnes illegally.

A steel-beamed corrugated iron shed, a seawater reticulating system and high-rise towers for housing abalone would be needed in a Marlborough Sounds abalone production unit, says Mr Shallard. Seed needs to be produced from a hatchery in nursery trays.

Mr Shallard says abalone would be a good long-term but not quick-yielding investment. Abalone take at least three years to grow to marketable size.

He has analysed trends and longer-term factors likely to influence fish prices over time.

Mussels topped NZ fish exports in 1007 $174m.

He says mussels have had labelling problems. In China, local and imported mussels have been packaged and marketed as New Zealand greenshell mussels, while NZ mussels also face intense competition from other mussel producers.

Mr Shallard has identified issues affecting the future of these and other aquaculture options for Marlborough, including species that could be developed alone, or together. Abalone is but one of the options for growth.

Anthony Haas, ahaas@decisionmaker.co.nz

- The Marlborough Express