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    • Advancing Ecological Aquaculture

    Regenerative approaches to coastal food production that support abundance.

    Aquaculture has an important role to play in the future of food. Done well, it can provide sustainable protein, support regional economies and reduce pressure on wild fisheries.

    But as world-renowned aquaculture experts, Cawthron scientists believe aquaculture can do more than produce food.

    Our vision is to help advance ecological aquaculture in Aotearoa New Zealand: aquaculture that is designed, tested and managed in ways that support healthy aquatic ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods as well as enhancing the productivity of existing systems.

    Ecological aquaculture applies ecological principles to the way aquaculture systems are developed. It asks how different species, sites, people and environments interact, and how aquaculture can be designed to deliver broader benefits for water quality, biodiversity, climate resilience, cultural values and local economies.

    This is the aquatic equivalent of regenerative agriculture: a shift from simply reducing environmental harm to intentionally designing food systems that can contribute to ecosystem health while maintaining productivity.

    Our vision

    Cawthron’s long-term vision is for ecological aquaculture to become a practical, proven and trusted approach to aquatic food production in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    By 2035, we aim to help establish proof-of-concept sites for ecological aquaculture at different scales, from land-based systems through to ecosystem-scale models. These sites will show how aquaculture can be designed and managed to deliver measurable ecological, social, cultural and economic benefits.

    This work is not about creating a single model of aquaculture that can be applied everywhere. It is about developing a set of approaches that are grounded in place, shaped by partners and supported by strong evidence.

    That means working with iwi, communities, industry, councils, government and other partners to understand local aspirations, environmental conditions, commercial realities and the wider systems aquaculture sits within.

    What we learn through this platform could help shape the future of aquaculture in Aotearoa New Zealand and provide useful models for other regions seeking to produce food while restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

    “If we want aquaculture to contribute to ecosystem health, we need to design it at the right scale. That means looking beyond individual farms and thinking about the wider bay, catchment and community context.”
    Ben Knight, Biophysical Scientist, Cawthron Institute

    Why Ecological Aquaculture? | Why Now?

    Food security, climate resilience and ecosystem health need to be solved together.

    Food systems around the world face a difficult challenge. They need to produce more food for a growing population while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, restoring degraded environments and adapting to climate change.

    Aquaculture is often part of the answer. Compared with many land-based food systems, aquatic farming can have a relatively low environmental footprint. Some forms of aquaculture can also provide ecosystem services. Shellfish can filter water. Seaweeds can absorb nutrients and create habitat. Multi-species systems can make better use of natural processes and support more resilient production.

    In Aotearoa New Zealand, aquaculture has largely developed around single-species productivity and site-level efficiency. That has helped build strong industries, but it has also meant the wider potential of aquaculture has not yet been fully explored.

    There is an opportunity now to ask a bigger question: how can aquaculture be designed to support food production, ecosystem restoration, climate adaptation and community wellbeing at the same time?

    To answer that, we need to move from concept to demonstration. We need real-world sites, trusted monitoring, shared governance and practical pathways for adoption. We need to understand not only what ecological aquaculture could deliver, but what is required to make it work in different places and at different scales.

    Four proof-of-concept scale trials

    Proposed Platform work-streams

    Ecological aquaculture design and assessment

    Understanding the physical, biological and social conditions that shape what kind of aquaculture is appropriate in different places. This includes currents, water quality, habitat, climate exposure, existing uses, cumulative effects and the wider ecosystem context.

    Scale trial #1 - Land-based ecological aquaculture

    Using controlled systems, including the Cawthron Aquaculture Park, to test multi-species approaches, refine methods, reduce risk and build evidence before ideas are applied in more complex environments.

    Scale trial #2 - Multi-farm aquaculture systems

    Exploring how ecological aquaculture can work across larger aquaculture management areas involving multiple farms, species and operators. This will help show how industry-scale aquaculture can support both productivity and ecosystem outcomes.

    Scale trial #3 - Marae-based and catchment-scale aquaculture

    Working with iwi and Māori entities to explore kai moana and kai roto aspirations, including smaller-scale aquaculture models that support cultural values, local food systems, restoration goals and intergenerational wellbeing.

    Scale trial #4 - Ecosystem scale aquaculture

    Understanding how aquaculture can contribute to the health and resilience of wider coastal systems, such as Tasman Bay. This includes biodiversity, water quality, climate risk, cumulative effects and the connections between land, freshwater and the sea.

    Cawthron researchers deploying a scientific monitoring buoy in Tasman Bay, Nelson.

    Monitoring, biosecurity and resilience

    Developing the trusted measures, health strategies and biosecurity systems needed to understand benefits, manage risks and build confidence in ecological aquaculture over time.

    Programme structure

    A pathway to transformation

    Advancing ecological aquaculture is a long-term science platform, not a single project.

    It will bring together the people, places and evidence needed to test what works, understand what benefits are possible and support the development of aquaculture systems that are environmentally regenerative, culturally grounded and economically viable.

    The platform will focus on three connected areas of work.

    Cawthron pilots

    Cawthron will lead early proof-of-concept trials that test ecological aquaculture models in controlled and real-world settings. These pilots may include land-based, multi-species trials at the Cawthron Aquaculture Park, field components linked to open-ocean aquaculture and wild stock enhancement opportunities such as mussel broodstock systems.

    These pilots will help answer practical questions that matter to industry, iwi, regulators and communities: which species combinations work best, what benefits can be measured, what risks need to be managed and what systems are commercially viable?

    Ecological Aquaculture Living Labs

    Living Labs will bring scientists, iwi, industry, communities and regulators together to design, test and refine ecological aquaculture in real-world settings.

    These will be collaborative learning environments where governance, consent pathways, cultural values, ecological monitoring, commercial needs and community expectations are built into the design from the start.

    The aim is to create practical examples that can be tested, improved and adapted, rather than assuming one model will work everywhere.

    Monitoring, accreditation and shared evidence

    For ecological aquaculture to be credible, its benefits need to be measured.

    Cawthron will help develop the tools, indicators and monitoring approaches needed to understand what ecological aquaculture is delivering. This includes ecological outcomes such as biodiversity, habitat, water quality and resilience, as well as social, cultural and economic outcomes.

    This work will also help identify trade-offs, manage risks and support future guidance, standards or accreditation approaches.

    Year 1 - Bringing the Platform to life

    The first phase will focus on building the foundations for the platform.

    This includes confirming priority partners, identifying potential proof-of-concept sites and beginning co-design with iwi, industry, community and government partners. It will also involve scoping land-based multi-species trials at the Cawthron Aquaculture Park and exploring opportunities for field-based pilots, marae-based models and ecosystem-scale demonstration.

    A key part of this phase will be developing the monitoring framework needed to measure ecological, social, cultural and economic outcomes. This will help ensure the platform is grounded in strong evidence from the beginning.

    Years 2–5 - Programme delivery & scale

    The second phase will focus on delivering the first ecological aquaculture pilots across land-based, coastal and community settings.

    This will include testing multi-species systems, assessing ecological performance, documenting governance models and identifying pathways for wider adoption. Living Labs will provide practical examples of ecological aquaculture in action, allowing partners to test ideas, understand risks and build confidence before larger-scale investment or implementation.

    Results will be shared through case studies, technical guidance and partner reporting, helping build a stronger evidence base for ecological aquaculture in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    Years 5–10 - Proof, adoption and leadership

    The third phase will focus on translating successful pilots into scalable models.

    By 2035, the goal is to establish proof-of-concept ecological aquaculture sites at ecosystem, aquaculture management area, marae-based and land-based scales.

    These examples will help show how aquaculture can support biodiversity, lower-carbon food production, coastal resilience, community wellbeing and sustainable livelihoods.

    Over time, this work could contribute to national guidance, trusted standards, accreditation approaches and new models for public-private and iwi-led aquaculture development.

    “Ecological aquaculture is the next step for Cawthron: bringing together breeding, health, biosecurity, environmental monitoring and partner-led innovation to show what aquaculture can contribute to the future of our coastal ecosystems.”
    Norman Ragg Co-Leader Shellfish Aquaculture Team Leader

    Partner with us

    Ecological aquaculture will require long-term collaboration, practical demonstration and sustained science.

    By supporting this platform, partners can help shape a future where aquaculture produces high-value food while contributing to healthier ecosystems, stronger communities and more resilient coastal environments.

    Get in touch with our team for more information

    Get in touch