New aquaculture institute planned
Tony Haas
Maori business leader Paul Morgan, head of Wakatu Incorporation, expects a government decision in November about whether it will co-finance the Horoirangi Centre for Seafood and Aquaculture Innovation.
Horoirangi is the brainchild of Wakatu Incorporation, a collectively owned Maori business based in Nelson.
The Horoirangi plan is to blend science and innovation to add value to New Zealand's seafood exports.
Based in Wellington and Motueka, Paul Morgan is chairman of Wakatu Incorporation, managing director of the Federation of Maori Authorities, and of Fomana Capital.
Wakatu is spearheading a region-wide drive for a $10 million grant from the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development regional partnerships fund towards the $40,000 establishment infrastructure.
The proposed aquaculture research institute in Nelson will include laboratories, commercial hatcheries, nurseries, aquatic land-based research ponds and education facilities.
Horoirangi chief executive Keith Turner says, "We are going to translate that intellectual capital to demand premium prices for New Zealand seafood products".
Mr Morgan became involved in Maori land issues in the 1960s and Wakatu Incorporation evolved from a Royal Commission into Maori land in the 1970s.
He said he has sought to "improve our circumstances and help our community. With a strong set of values we agreed on, we built a strategy. For many years we had been cash strapped, but in 2009 our cash position has dramatically improved.
"We see Maori becoming significant economic players offering employment, and able to have political influence. We are enabled to debate issues facing Maori.
"Social injustice underpins what I do, and helps social rebalancing."
Mr Morgan said, "Maori pushed on to become significant players in the aquaculture industry. From becoming short changed we have become a major player."
He said with Wakatu owing land and developing vineyards in Waihopai and Awatere it meant seafood and wine could be cross-matched.
Aotearoa Industries is Wakatu's integrated mussel company. Wakatu has significant water space in Port Underwood and Tasman Bay. It had wanted to buy mussel farms Sealord recently put on the market, but Sanford purchased them. Mr Morgan said Wakatu had tried 18 months earlier to purchase the farms, but failed to secure a deal.
"Sealord were not interested in selling to Maori. We were not even advised they were for sale. Now a valuable piece of water has been sold out of Maoridom."
He is optimistic that the legislative blocks to developing a more significant aquaculture industry will be overcome soon.
"The choice was to sell wares at the farm gate or globally. We chose to present our brands to a global customer base. We need to apply science, research and technology to the basic resource. We need marketing. We have been building competencies within the organisation."
He said there was no comparison between shellfish and finfish in value. Cod, hapuka, kingfish and butterfish all have potential in Marlborough, and work is being done on them now. Salmon is doing brilliantly and New Zealand lobster is high value.
He estimates that "per hectare oysters can generate five times the revenue from mussels".
Asian markets are the obvious markets.
"We should go for high-value species and supply markets throughout the year. We want to develop these in the Marlborough Sounds."
Mr Morgan also thinks there are significant aquaculture opportunities elsewhere in Polynesia and Marlborough has the expertise to help get action. | 
