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NZ King Salmon farm. (Photo: NZKS)
New Zealand King Salmon forced to import salmon from Atlantic seas
(NEW ZEALAND, 6/5/2018)
Aquaculture firm New Zealand King Salmon has decided to stock from foreign waters due to the fact that the demand for the resource has outstripped the supply.
The firm’s chief executive Grant Rosewarne deemed the supply shortfall they are facing is a consequence of a growth in demand, the lack of space for farming and "warmer than usual" water temperatures.
The CEO warned the decision to import salmon in order to boost stocks could be permanent as New Zealand salmon supplies floundered in the face of static stock numbers.
Rosewarne stated that the firm experienced shortfalls of between 20 and 30 tonnes a week.
"It's something of a paradox. We lost 20 tonne a week but demand has also gone up. There are orders that we just won't be able to meet,” he stressed.
NZ King Salmon, which farms salmon in the Marlborough Sounds, s began to import Atlantic salmon from Norway and Canada in April this year.
"There's been a huge issue with a shortage of salmon in general. Everyone is paying more for salmon and we are trying not to stimulate the market here as we will run out of salmon because we're so short,” the executive claimed.
Rosewarne said the imported salmon would be sold under the Southern Ocean brand, which would be modified to reflect the change of origin.
The executive explained the amount needed for the domestic market alone was 705,000 tonnes per year.
He also said the company would continue to push for more of their Sounds-based salmon farms to be moved to higher flow sites which could help with numbers but would not be enough to stop imports, stating there is a lot less space made available for salmon farming in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world.
NZ King Salmon reported first half-year profits of NZD 15.7 million (USD 10.9 million), representing an increase of 81 per cent compared to the same time last year.
Rosewarne described it as the "most difficult" farming year on record and that those earnings could be dented in the second half of the financial year.
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Information of the company:
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Address:
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31 Bullen Street
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City:
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Tahunanui
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State/ZIP:
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Nelson (NZ 7011)
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Country:
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New Zealand
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Phone:
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+64 3 548 5714
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Fax:
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+64 3 548 6993
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E-Mail:
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[email protected]
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