Strategy aims to double aquaculture exports
On rare occasions when students of Hillcrest High School’s physical assistance centre go on a trip together, it’s always a bit of a hassle.
Several of these students are in wheelchairs, so staff cars and mobility vans provided by parents need to be scraped together for the journey.
One teacher aide, however, is trying to change this. Alison Oliver works closely with the kids from the physical assistance centre, and to get them moving more easily, she’s running a double marathon to raise money for a mobility van for the school.
Although she is doing it for the kids, it’s a win-win for Alison, she told the Waikato Times.
“It’s two-sided. I enjoy running and I like to challenge myself, so when these kinds of opportunities come up, I like to grab them.”
She did “all of the sports” in high school, and has a background in martial arts. She runs as a way to keep fit, and hype herself up for the day.
“But working with these guys is another reason I’m doing it. There’s a lot of love in the PAC, and I guess it comes from that. So it’s a great experience as well for me, and the fact that I can fundraise for these guys at the same time is great.”
She’s raised the money herself to fly overseas for the marathons, first to Boston in the US, and then to London. She’s been training like crazy, five days a week for the last six months.
“It’s been a lot. I’m quite tired.” But it’s all worth it if she can raise money for the van, she said. With it, trips with the students will be “way easier”.
“Usually when we take these guys on trips, it’s just staff cars, and a mixture of parent mobility vans. Which means we have to rely on parents and staff to provide that. Logistically, it’s difficult,” she said.
“If we can get a van that can take two or three students in wheelchairs, that’s three cars, or three mobility vans. Potentially this could make a massive difference.
“It will be a huge physical and mental challenge but one I feel privileged to do in order to support an incredible group of young people.” She loves her job at the school, she said.
“I’ve been here nearly seven years, and I’ve gotten to know the students quite well. I enjoy doing it, and it’s important as well. Those relationships are important.”
A free dress day at the school raised nearly $1500, bringing the amount raised up to almost $4500. There’s still a way to go until the school can get their hands on their own van, priced at a minimum of $20,000.
Alison’s first marathon in Boston is on April 15, followed by the London marathon on April 21.
Within 20 years, regional council officials wants to see Waikato’s aquaculture exports double to hit $180 million.
A newly-adopted strategy dubbed Growing Together - Whakatupu Ngātahi features new opportunities for aquaculture businesses that extend beyond existing green lipped mussel and oyster species currently farmed in the region.
Those opportunities “will grow over time in response to changes in the climate, markets and social demands” and are likely to include the farming of kingfish and other fin fish species suited to warming coastal waters, offshore aquaculture developments, potentially in conjunction with offshore wind farm infrastructure, a regional seaweed growing industry, and support for iwi to develop their aquaculture aspirations.
Committee chairperson Warren Maher said while ambitious, the plan set an exciting goal which would help drive the sector’s future growth.
“With industry and stakeholder support we are poised to elevate our standing from being a significant player in New Zealand’s aquaculture industry to one that is worldclass.
“This strategy is our blueprint to grow our aquaculture industry, focusing on producing high value seafood while also being mindful of the region’s environment and communities,” Maher said.
In 2023, the Waikato region produced $91.6 million in aquaculture exports, which was 17% of the total export value of the New Zealand aquaculture industry, and includes 26% of New Zealand’s farmed mussel production and 23% of its farmed oyster production.
There are already more than 450 marine farms in the Waikato region and 1572ha has resource consents for shellfish farming.
The strategy also aims at maximising existing aquaculture operations with the industry’s spat requirements for current production and growth met by locally sourced spat supplies and nursery/hatchery infrastructure, which would be resilient to changes in the environment.
“Wharf infrastructure will be upgraded and facilities will not be a constraint on aquaculture growth,” the strategy states.
“Consented but undeveloped farm space will have been developed and will be farmed to its productive potential.”
The strategy also includes completing the Te Ariki Tahi/sugarloaf wharf redevelopment “to enable the landing, processing and transport of aquaculture products from across the Hauraki Gulf and Firth of Thames” and an “oyster farming transformation project to adopt flip-farm technology in Coromandel to revolutionise the oyster industry, lift productivity and create jobs”.
While discussing the strategy, regional councillors acknowledged the need for the region to consider activities that provide for new value-added products, like seaweed, and the diversification of the industry into new markets.
“The strategy promotes a growth pathway for aquaculture which will look at ways to better use existing farming space and explore opportunities for new sustainable farming, both on land and in the open ocean,” Maher said.
The regional council will implement the strategy alongside the Waikato Regional Aquaculture Group, which is made up of industry, iwi, Te Waka (the Waikato’s economic development organisation), and local and central government agencies.