View of a New Zealand King Salmon farm.
Photo: New Zealand King Salmon.
When the 12-month period ending June 30, 2025, was about to expire, New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries released the expected results of aquaculture exports over the past year. Included in the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report, the figures not only show double-digit growth, but all indications are that it will be aquaculture that will drive future seafood growth in the country.
The report shows that the strong growth is mainly due to an increase in the production of high value products such as mussels and salmon, and New Zealand's Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones, said that this double-digit growth sends a clear signal that more is to come from this "enormously promising" industry.
"This is a sector with potential for massive growth over the next decade, supported by the hard work and innovation of thousands of New Zealanders who bring our sustainable products to the world," Minister Jones stated.
According to New Zealand's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, for the year ending June 30, 2025, aquaculture products are expected to generate NZD 650 million in export revenue, which, as mentioned above, represents an increase of 13% compared to last year.
The double figure becomes even more important when compared to the forecast for wild catches, which is expected to fall by 3% due to lower volumes.
In its release, the Ministry remarked that the current New Zealand coalition government is pushing the industry hard, with the aim of growing the aquaculture sector to NZD 3 billion in annual revenue by 2035.
An ambitious target that, nevertheless, extends the initial deadline given by the government when it presented the New Zealand Aquaculture Development Plan 2025-2030 last March, which set a target date of five years. Now, the Ministry has set that date for 2035, increasing the deadline from five to ten years.
Commenting on the latest SOPI report, Jones said these results show that great progress is being made on the path identified in that Aquaculture Development Plan he announced earlier this year. "I expect to see even more substantial growth in coming years as the plan progresses," he added now.
"Growing our aquaculture industry will have huge benefits for the economic prosperity of New Zealand, with the potential to create thousands of jobs in the regions and contribute substantially to achieving a doubling exports over the next 10 years," said New Zealand's Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones.
Reviewing the latest measures taken by New Zealand, Shane Jones also recalled that the coalition government is removing "unnecessary barriers for industry" by extending marine consents, giving marine farmers the certainty they need to invest in their operations, including open ocean aquaculture products in the Fast-track Approvals Act.
"Innovation is another important factor in this growth," he continued, recalling that the government has invested NZD 11.72 million in a project to boost open ocean aquaculture around the country. The investment is part of a program led by New Zealand King Salmon, including its pilot open ocean farm, Blue Endeavour.
The development of offshore salmon farms, which represent an adaptive response to climate change and a way to expand production, along with selective breeding programs such as the super snapper project, are some of the initiatives that, according to the SOPI report, are expected to increase production and raise average export prices.
Backed by New Zealand's reputation for offering high-quality, sustainably produced seafood that is well-regarded in world markets, the SOPI report states that the outlook for aquaculture remains positive in the country.
"Aquaculture is expected to drive growth, led by mussels and salmon. Despite trade uncertainties, sustained demand, sustainability, investment, and market diversity support sector resilience and long-term growth," it reads.
An impression corroborated by New Zealand's Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones. "Demand for our seafood across a diverse range of international markets has meant that our seafood sector has performed strongly despite trade uncertainties over the year," he concluded.