A collaborative effort between the Ministry for Primary Industries, Auckland Council, and private investors, including GreenWave NZ and EnviroStrat, has launched a $10.2 million pilot scheme to establish a commercial seaweed farming sector in New Zealand. Focused in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty, the three-year project aims to overcome existing knowledge gaps by conducting research on hatchery production, on-water cultivation, processing, and training of seaweed farmers, specifically for the native brown kelp (ecklonia).
This initiative seeks to capitalize on the global seaweed sector's growth, which was valued at $20.5 billion in 2018, by developing infrastructure, refining farming techniques, and assessing the commercial potential of seaweed farming. It also promises to bring environmental benefits such as enhancing marine biodiversity, improving water quality, carbon sequestration, and erosion control, thereby opening the door to markets for locally produced seaweed-based products and exploring possibilities in blue carbon and nutrient credits.