Oyster farms on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
Ten aquaculture businesses on the South Coast of New South Wales are set to benefit from a combined AUD $14.3 million in public and private investment, as the regional government moves ahead with plans to grow the state’s oyster, kelp and seafood industries.
According to the New South Wales authorities, AUD $7.4 million of the total is coming from the state, with the companies involved contributing a further AUD $6.9 million.
The funding has been allocated under the first round of the state’s AUD $20 million Aquaculture Industry Development Program, which was announced last year. The programme forms part of a broader strategy tied to the NSW Aquaculture Vision Statement, launched in September 2024, which targets a doubling of the sector’s economic output to A$300 million by 2030, as previusly reported by WeAreAquaculture.
Among the largest grants is AUD $1.88 million for Ocean2Earth to expand marine waste recovery and biofertiliser manufacturing from pilot to industrial scale. Another major recipient of the funding is Wapengo Rocks Wild Organic Oysters, which will receive AUD $1.28 million to modernise its farming operations, while Tollgate Oysters has been awarded just under AUD $960,000.
In the seaweed farming sector, Auskelp Pty Ltd is due to receive nearly AUD $897,000 to support advanced kelp farming research and production, including the use of a specialised offshore research vessel.
Other successful applicants include Ritchie Oysters, Sandingroove Oysters, Sapphire Coast Oysters, OysterLife Unit Trust, Ballantyne Commercial Fishing and Glasshouse Rock Oysters.
The funded projects range from automation and upgraded nursery infrastructure to electrification, cold-chain improvements and new floating oyster systems designed to improve productivity, resilience and stock security. According to the government, some of the investments will also support restocking, improve food safety and reduce losses during extreme weather events.
Announcing the awards, agriculture and regional New South Wales minister Tara Moriarty described the package as “a game changer for the South Coast by delivering expanded production, plus higher sustainability and resilience that will create jobs and economic growth”.
She said the funding showed the government’s commitment to developing the industry and added: “Our seafood products are amongst the best in the world, and we need to boost production, enhance supply chain efficiency and security, so that our local businesses can take advantage of market demand for quality and low carbon footprint seafood.”
Moriarty also said the government wanted to promote the South Coast’s strengths more widely and build a circular marine economy that could support growth while protecting the environment.
“This funding will help us deploy highly efficient on-water infrastructure and gives us the opportunity to scale our oyster production enough to actively contribute to the outcomes outlined in the Aquaculture Vision Statement that Minister Moriarty launched,” said Shane Buckley, general manager of Wapengo Rocks Wild Organic Oysters, adding the company plans to build “a purpose built, state of the art, climate controlled, processing and packaging facility” and install “a full solar and battery system”.
Ocean2Earth executive general manager Kyran Crane said the support would help the company expand marine waste recovery and fertiliser manufacturing, “turning seafood by-products into valuable inputs for agriculture”. He added: “It also supports regional jobs, reduces landfill, and strengthens a circular, locally based supply chain.”
The government said it would be making further announcements on successful recipients under the Aquaculture Industry Development Program over the coming weeks.
