Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley is leaving New Zealand tomorrow with a delegation of officials and aquaculture industry representatives on a fact-finding tour of the aquaculture industry in Norway, Brussels and Scotland.
"This Government wants to do what it can to support a successful aquaculture industry in New Zealand," says Mr Heatley.
Aquaculture is on track to become $1 billion dollar industry by 2025. The Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill (No 3), designed to enable aquaculture to fulfill its economic potential, while ensuring that development is environmentally sustainable and balanced with other uses of New Zealand's coastal space, is due to be read a second time next month.
"With new legislation currently before the House, we want to ensure that both Government and industry understand what has worked well and also what has not worked in aquaculture in other countries. While ensuring we maximise the potential gains the industry can achieve I want to see first-hand the potential pitfalls, so we can eliminate them from the outset," said Mr Heatley.
While overseas the Minister will meet visit the Skretting and Marine Harvest in Stravanger, attend the Seafood Exposition in Brussels, meet with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and visit Stirling University to meet representatives of the Prince's Charities International Sustainability Unit in Scotland.
"The Prince's Charities International Sustainability Unit requested that I meet with them to discuss New Zealand's Quota Management System and our work in sustainable fisheries and I was pleased to be given the opportunity to discuss our fisheries management which is seen by some as 'world-leading'," said Mr Heatley.