NZKS, government fund sustainable salmon farming

New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS) has announced a funding partnership with the New Zealand government to accelerate the salmon sector.

The partnership, under the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund, is called "Future Farming: A Blueprint to Accelerate Salmon Farming in Aotearoa".

Over the next five years, the programme will pilot technologies for sustainable salmon farming growth, particularly in open ocean environments.

The total value of the programme is estimated at $29 million, with the government investing up to $11.7m.

This is one of the highest-value investments made by SFF Futures since its establishment in 2018.

The programme will focus on three workstreams: the Blue Endeavour pilot for open ocean aquaculture, the recirculating aquaculture systems pilot for freshwater hatchery technologies, and novel breeding strategies for fish resilience and breeding accuracy.

The successful deployment of these technologies will provide business confidence for the wider NZ salmon farming sector and support the industry's long-term viability.