Seafood sector

NIWA's seafood sector work comprises our fish, fisheries and aquaculture research and consultancy.

New Zealand's EEZ is the fifth-largest in the world, and fishing earns the country $1.5 billion in export receipts each year. Robust science is critical to the sustainable use of New Zealand's marine fisheries. Our world class fish and fisheries work involves biological and ecosystems research, as well as the majority of New Zealand's stock assessments and sustainability studies.

Find out more about our fisheries centre

Aquaculture provides an opportunity to greatly extend this already successful seafood sector. Our aquaculture work brings together world-class research facilities – including our Bream Bay Aquaculture Park – and the country's largest team of aquaculture specialists to support the industry with unique science that underpins current and developing operations and innovation.

Find out more about our aquaculture centre

The hoki fishery off the West Coast of the South Island is one of New Zealand's largest commercial fisheries. [Neil Bagley]