Science Centres: Fisheries

TOKM’s Shane Jones and Robin Hapi with Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia enjoying lobster at the launch.

New technology for commercial-scale marine farming of lobsters in New Zealand has been developed by a partnership between researchers, industry, Maori, and NIWA. The technology allows for the sustainable capture of seed lobsters from the wild and growing them to market size in specially designed cages at sea. The lobsters are fed on fresh farmed mussels. Project coordinator Dean Moana, from Te Ohu Kai Moana, says the sea-cage farming techniques allow the lobsters to grow much faster and produce a better quality product than in previous farming attempts here and overseas.

Wellington chefs who attended the launch expressed keen interest in the product. To quote food critic David Burton, ‘We all marvelled at the sweetness and intensity of the flavour, which equalled anything I’ve tasted in rock lobsters in the wild.’

The first crop of lobsters was launched at a function in Wellington, and the feedback from invited food critics, politicians and chefs was very flavourable!