Marine Workstream

Seafood Sector Adaptation Strategy Implementation

Background

Climate change presents a range of existential challenges for our seafood sector. Physical climate impacts such as changing temperatures, ocean acidification, and species migration will change what, where, and how marine organisms can be caught and farmed. Transitional factors such as changing consumer preferences, new regulatory settings, and rising fuel costs will likely require innovation on an unprecedented scale for today’s seafood organisations to remain prosperous under tomorrow’ socio-economic conditions.

For the first time, sectoral leaders and subject matter experts from government, iwi, industry, banking, research, and environmental NGOs have come together to address these challenges. They have collaborated in the development of a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the Seafood Sector (SAS). The aim of the SAS is to enhance the resilience and adaptative capacity of Aotearoa’s seafood system so that future generations can enjoy a thriving marine environment, blue economy and seafood community.

Click below to read more about Phase I and II of the Seafood Sector Adaptation Strategy.

Kaupapa

This workstream is an output of The Aotearoa Circle’s Marine Domain ‘Phase 1’ and ‘Phase 2’ workstreams. Implementing the Seafood Adaptation Strategy (SAS) is an essential step towards safeguarding the cultural, ecological, social and economic fabric of Aotearoa’s seafood sector in the face of rapid, uncertain change.

The SAS is focused on building resilience and taking action in response to climate-related risks and opportunities across the entire seafood system in Aotearoa New Zealand. In doing so it touches on key aspects of our marine natural capital resources, the commercial viability of wild capture and aquaculture fisheries, the cultural values we apply in decision making for the future, and the rules, regulations and systems we rely on in bringing seafood to domestic and global markets.

Phase I, a two-year project, will focus on creating a sector-wide Adaptation Plan, which serves as a guiding document to help organisations identify, prioritise, and address the unique climate change challenges they face. The design and development of the adaptation process and enabling activities is under the direction of a multi-stakeholder Implementation Group.

Implementation Group

Charles Heaphy

Resources Manager, Sealord
Dr Dave Taylor

Technical Director, Aquaculture NZ
Dr Jane Symonds

Senior Aquaculture Scientist, Cawthron Institute
John Willmer

Fisheries Manager Inshore, Seafood New Zealand
Megan Linwood

Principal Adviser, National Direction Team, Fisheries Management, MPI
Michelle Cherrington

Group Communications and Sustainability Manager, Moana
Stuart Houliston

General Manager - Finance, Sanford
Stuart Yorston

Group General Manager – Marketing & Sustainability, Sealord
Dr Vonda Cummings

Principal Scientist - Marine Ecology, NIWA