High Value Aquaculture
The High Value Aquaculture Flagship aims to support the growth of New Zealand aquaculture through innovative, commercially focused research on species and production systems.
Our science delivers tangible solutions for growth to the aquaculture sector from our base at the Northland Aquaculture Centre. We focus on species and production systems with credible economic viability, environmental sustainability, and overall benefit to New Zealand.
Our experts have demonstrated the viability of land-based recirculating aquaculture production of branded yellowtail kingfish. Whilst also applying genetics and biotechnical tools to develop high performance stocks of existing and emerging commercial aquaculture species and work on sustainable and improved nutrition.
Chief Scientist - High Value Aquaculture: Andrew Forsythe
Andrew has more than 40 years of aquaculture industry experience from North America, Europe and New Zealand. He leads the Northland Aquaculture Centre, working with a range of clients to design and manage marine operations that optimise sustainable aquaculture production and meet high environmental and quality certification standards. Andrew led the development of New Zealand’s first land-based commercial-scale Recirculating Aquaculture System, launched in late 2024. This system produces our high-quality kingfish, which we call Haku.