New Zealand Approves New Salmon Farms, Which Will Double Production.

According to SalmonBusiness, New Zealand has approved the construction of an open-air salmon farm with an annual capacity of 14,400 tonnes near Stewart Island. This new capacity almost equals the entire output of New Zealand's existing salmon farming industry. Ngāi Tahu Seafood Resources received fast-track approval for the Hananui aquaculture project, which includes four marine farms covering approximately 1,285 hectares, about 13 kilometers from Oban. The new facility is expected to produce 14,400 tonnes of king salmon annually, generating over NZ$310 million in sales and creating 415 to 480 jobs. The project will include up to 80 circular marine cages distributed across the four farms, along with feed barges and other supporting facilities. This approval makes Hananui the first aquaculture project approved under New Zealand's new Fast-track Approvals Act. This project is part of the New Zealand government's strategy to promote open marine aquaculture, which aims to increase the annual revenue of the aquaculture industry to NZ$3 billion by 2035.