A helping hand for regional councils
Aquaculture is the raising of plants or animals in water. It can be done in coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and in constructed tanks on land.
The Government set up the Aquaculture Planning Fund (APF) to help the aquaculture industry achieve its goal of $3 billion in sales by 2035.
The fund supports regional councils to plan for sustainable aquaculture growth and development including:
- allocating space
- creating zones for new consent applications
- provisions for new species
- provisions to do with environmental impacts
- research on information and advice that supports decision-making and improves reconsenting provisions and processes.
All applications are assessed by an advisory panel. The panel recommends which applications should be funded. Using the panel's recommendations, we then make funding decisions.
Applying for funding
Applications have closed for 2024 and will re-open from 1 July 2025.
Previously funded projects
|
Year |
Project title |
Council |
APF grant |
Total budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Developing new finfish farming provisions for the Marlborough District | Marlborough District Council | $52,400 | $106,200 |
| 2022 | Site suitability assessment of potential new aquaculture space for Waikato Resource Management Plan Review | Waikato Regional Counci | $36,540 | $73,080 |
|
2021 |
Future aquaculture demand for review of Tasman Resource Management Plan |
Tasman District Council |
$25,000 |
$50,000 |
|
2016 |
Sea Change: Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan [PDF, 131 KB] |
Waikato Regional Council |
$550,000 |
$2,512,000 |
|
2015 |
Guidance for Aquaculture Monitoring in the Waikato Region [PDF, 54 KB] |
Waikato Regional Council |
$90,000 |
$180,000 |
|
2015 |
Marlborough Sounds Hydrodynamic and Ecological Modelling [PDF, 68 KB] |
Marlborough District Council |
$210,916 |
$421,832 |
| 2014 |
Marine Management Model [PDF, 56 KB] |
Waikato Regional Council |
$250,000 |
$550,000 |
|
2014 |
Aquaculture Zoning in the Southland Region [PDF, 70 KB] |
Southland Regional Council |
$25,000 |
$50,000 |
Who to contact
If you have questions about the Aquaculture Planning Fund, email info@mpi.govt.nz
