The Government is providing a $4.5 million loan to establish a mussel spat nursery in Houhora Bay, Northland.
Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson announced the Regional Infrastructure Fund backing for the nursery, which will be delivered by Akau, a special purpose vehicle created by Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Takoto and Ngāti Kahu iwi. The iwi partners are contributing $1.3 million in co-funding, with Te Aupōuri Fisheries Management Limited leading the development on behalf of the collective.
The nursery will include up to 150 mussel lines in a staged rollout. Its first phase will establish 90 lines and is expected to produce around 700 tonnes of spat each year. The nursery will improve spat survival rates before mussels are transferred to farms nationwide.
New Zealand's mussel industry relies heavily on wild-caught spat, which has unpredictable supply leading to shortages. The Government's Aquaculture Development Plan aims to grow the industry to $3 billion in annual revenue by 2035.
The project is progressing through Fast-track consent as part of the Muriwhenua Aquaculture application, with consent approval required before loan funds can be accessed. Construction is expected to generate around 10 jobs, with 5 permanent roles once operational.