Glenhaven Aquaculture Centre Opening: Cawthron Institute's ability to combine scientific research with industry earns Ministerial applause

Friday 25th February, 2011.

A multi million dollar investment in aquaculture research and technology was today given the official stamp of approval by Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley.

Funded jointly by the Cawthron Institute and the Ministry of Economic Development, the Glenhaven Aquaculture Centre provides a shared facility for research, education and learning to be utilised by Cawthron Institute researchers, by industry, and by the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology for its aquaculture diploma programme.

It includes 1200 square metres of research and development space; including wet and dry laboratories, offices, educational spaces and workshops to support aquaculture research and commercialisation activities.

In opening the new facility, the Minister said Government was pleased to have been able to support the extension and development of a facility that will promote considerable national economic benefits.

"The expansion of the Glenhaven Aquaculture Centre illustrates how well Cawthron combines scientific research with support to industry."

"Government is committed to this centre which is why it has made a substantial contribution of $1.69 million to this new research space. This facility is not just about research for its own sake, but research with a clear view to commercialisation and partnership with industry."

Cawthron Chief Executive Gillian Wratt says the Aquaculture Centre is not just an extension of Cawthron’s research and development capability; it is also a very real expression of its continued commitment to the sector, to Nelson, and to supporting sustainable growth of the New Zealand economy.

"We now have a world-class aquaculture research and technology facility that will facilitate the taking of a product or technique from research through to pilot scale commercial production on one site."

"It will also allow greater collaboration between research organisations, education providers and industry."

It is the first new building at the Glen, where Cawthron has contributed research and development expertise to the aquaculture sector since 1991, in more than a decade – an important milestone in the history of the Institute, which this year also celebrates its ninetieth anniversary.

It is also expected to be the first step in a proposed Nelson-based Aquaculture Research and Commerical Centre, to be developed under the umbrella of the Horoirangi Centre for Seafood and Aquaculture.

For more information:

Gill Wratt
Chief Executive
Cawthron Institute
P: 03 539 3270
M: 021 548 110
E:

For more information:

Mike Mandeno
Business Development Manager
Cawthron Institute
P: 03 539 3254
M: 021 548 330
E:

CEO GILLIAN WRATT SPEECH:

OPENING OF THE GLEN RESEARCH FACILITY – FEBRUARY 25, 2011.

THANK YOU JOE. KIA ORA TATOU

THE HONOURABLE PHIL HEATLEY, HON NICK SMITH, NMIT CHAIR ROSS BUTLER, OTHER HONOURED GUESTS..

WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

BEFORE I BEGIN I’D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND PAUSE A MOMENT, TO THINK OF ALL THOSE LIVING IN CHRISTHCURCH AND THE HEART BREAK THEY ARE SUFFERING.

ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, A GROUP OF US STOOD TOGETHER AT THIS VERY SPOT TO OFFICIALLY PUT OUR STAKE IN THE GROUND – AND I MEAN THAT BOTH LITERALLY AND PHYSICALLY.

WHEN, IN MARCH LAST YEAR, KAUMATUA REVEREND HARVEY RURU LED US IN THE LAYING OF THE STONES CEREMONY – WE WERE NOT JUST CELEBRATING THE LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW FACILITY - WE WERE ALSO FURTHER CEMENTING CAWTHRON’S COMMITMENT TO NELSON, TO AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, AND TO CONTINUING TO HELP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND’S ECONOMY.

THE GLEN HAS BEEN THE RESEARCH BASE FOR OUR SHELLFISH BREEDING PROGRAMME FOR THE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS, SINCE IT EXPANDED BEYOND GREENSHELL MUSSELS TO ALSO INCLUDE PACIFIC OYSTERS AND PAUA.

I WILL DIGRESS JUST A MINUTE ON THE TOPIC OF PACIFIC OYSTERS. SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE SEEN COMMENT IN THE MEDIA THIS WEEK THAT THE OYSTER VIRUS DECIMATING JUVENILE OYSTERS IN THE NORTHERN NORTH ISLAND HAS CLOSED THE CAWTHRON HATCHERY. OYSTER LARVAE IN THE HATCHERY HAS BEEN AFFECTED AND THIS, COMBINED WITH LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF BROODSTOCK HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE OYSTER SPAT, BUT THE FACILITY IS STILL OPERATING. WE HAVE ISOLATED THE INFECTED MATERIAL, WORKED WITH MAF BIOSECURITY ON A TESTING REGIME AND ARE NOW UNDERWAY TO PRODUCE MORE SPAT.

THIS LATEST ADDITION TO OUR FACILITIES HERE, WHICH YOU JOIN WITH US TODAY IN OPENING, INCLUDES A PURPOSE BUILT LABORATORY WING, TWO STOREY OFFICE WING, AND UPGRADED WORKSHOP SPACES. IT IS THE VERY TYPE OF FACILITY WE NEED TO HELP INDUSTRY RESOLVE PROBLEMS LIKE THE OYSTER VIRUS.

BUT IT IS NOT JUST AN EXTENSION OF OUR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CAPABILTY. IT IS FAR MORE THAN BRICKS AND MORTAR. IT IS A SOLID AND VERY REAL EXPRESSION OF OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THIS INDUSTRY.

FUNDED JOINTLY BY THE CAWTHRON INSTITUTE AND THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – THE GLENHAVEN AQUACULTURE CENTRE PROVIDES A SHARED WORKSPACE FOR INNOVATION FOR THE AQUACULTURE SECTOR – TO BE UTILISED BY CAWTHRON INSTITUTE RESEARCHERS, BY INDUSTRY, AND BY THE NELSON MARLBOROUGH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.

IT IS A WORLD-CLASS AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITY – WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THIS AFTERNOON – THAT WILL FACILITATE COLLABORATION, PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF REESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES, AND ENABLE OTHERS IN THE SECTOR TO ALSO BENEFIT.

IT IS APPROPRIATE HERE THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF OUR NEW TENANTS – SPATNZ, A CONSORTIUM OF SANFORD, SEALORD AND WAKATU INCORPORATION - WHO HAVE JUST BEEN AWARDED SIGNIFICANT GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO TAKE THE RESEARCH CARRIED OUT HERE TO COMMERCIAL SHELLFISH SPAT PRODUCTION. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS IN ATTRACTING PRIMARY GROWTH PARTNERSHIP FUNDING.

MINISTER HEATLEY, LET ME ALSO FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF YOUR COLLEAGUE GERRY BROWNLEE, AND YOUR GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO THIS FACILITY.

IT IS A SIGNIIFICANT AND VALUED INVESTMENT THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO THE ON-GOING DEVELOPMENT OF SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE INNOVATION IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT IS AN INVESTMENT, THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE BELIEVE WILL PROMOTE CONSIDERABLE NATIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY REACHING ITS GOAL OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN SALES BY 2025.

IT IS IMPORTANT TOO FOR ME AT THIS TIME TO ALSO PUBLICLY ACNKOWLEDGE SOME OF THE KEY PLAYERS WHO HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.

SAM BUCHANAN. BACK IN THE EARLY 90’S THIS YOUNG MARINE BIOLOGIST CLAIMED TO BE ON THE VERGE OF SOLVING A PROBLEM THAT HAD STUMPED NEW ZEALAND SCIENTISTS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES: HOW TO GROW GREENSHELL MUSSELS IN A HATCHERY. WE TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD AND HIRED HIM. THE REST AS THEY SAY IS HISTORY.

SAM ALSO HAD GOOD SUPPORT FROM AN OUTSTANDING RESEARCH LEADER, HENRY KASPAR, AND CAWTHRON’S FORMER CEO, GRAEME ROBERTSON.

OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE ALSO BEEN PRIVILEDGED TO HAVE SCIENTISTS ACHIM JANKE WHO HAS MANAGED THE FACILITY HERE, AND NICK KING, WHO NOW LEADS THE SHELLFISH BREEDING PROGRAMME, AND DANETTE OLSEN WHO HAS GUIDED OUR SCIENCE STAFF THROUGH FUNDING PROCESSES AND NOW LEADS OUR AQUACULTURE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY GROUP – TO CONTINUE TO NURTURE AND EXPAND OUR RESEARCH IN THIS AREA.

THANK YOU TOO, TO THE OVERSIGHT OF OUR BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, DARYL WEHNER, AND TO DRAUGHTSMAN DAVID TODD, ARCHIECT MARK BARRON, BUILDERS IMB, PROJECT MANAGER MARTIN HAY AND JEFF GOLDING CAWTHRON’S MAN ON THE SPOT DURING THE BUILDING PROCESS, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS PROJECT – AND TO OUR BOARD AND CHAIRMAN, IAN KEARNEY, FOR THEIR CONTINUED FAITH IN AND SUPPORT OF OUR ENDEAVOURS.

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, TO ALL OUR STAFF WHO HAVE HAD TO COPE WITH PORTACOMS AND TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND PUT UP WITH ALMOST A YEAR OF DISRUPTION WAITING FOR THIS FACILITY TO FINALLY BE BUILT.

ULTIMATELY TOGETHER WE HAVE CREATED A VERY SPECIAL MEETING PLACE – A PLACE FOR COLLABORATION, SHARING OF IDEAS AND EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE.

BUT THE HARDWARE IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

THE TRUE EXCELLENCE WILL COME FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AND LEARN HERE.

WE ARE ALREADY SEEING A STEADY STREAM OF SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS – FROM AS FAR AFIELD AS FRANCE, GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND, CHINA, AND THE COOK ISLANDS, AS WELL AS STUDENTS FROM NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITIES - TRAVELLING HERE TO WORK WITH CAWTHRON SCIENTISTS. WE NOW HAVE FACILITIES WE CAN BE PROUD OF FOR THEM TO WORK IN, ALONGSIDE THE NELSON MARLBOROUGH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGIES SPECIALIST DEGREE COURSE IN AQUACULTURE – AN INNOVATIVE MULTI DISCIPLINARY PROGRAMME WITH A STRONG VOCATIONAL FOCUS. CONGRATLUATIONS TO NMIT – WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOUR PROGRAMME OPERATING FROM THE NEW FACILITY HERE.

AS WE CELEBRATE THIS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR EXTENSION TO OUR RESEARCH ABILITY, WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THE GLENHAVEN AQUACULTURE RESEARCH CENTRE IS ALSO JUST THE FIRST STEP IN A PROPOSED NELSON-BASED AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE – TO BE DEVELOPED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE HOROIRANGI CENTRE FOR SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH WAKATU AS THEY CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT WHICH WE CLEARLY SEE ADDING VALUE TO THE NEW ZEALAND AQUACULTURE SECTOR.

IN CLOSING – THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. TODAY IS YET ANOTHER IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF CAWTHRON –ALSO THIS YEAR WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR NINETIETH ANNIVERSARY – WHICH MAKES THIS AN EVEN MORE SPECIAL OCCASION FOR US. WE ARE PLEASED YOU ARE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH US.

I’D LIKE NOW TO INTRODUCE MIKE BURRELL, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF AQUACULTURE NEW ZEALAND -– TO SAY A FEW WORDS:

MIKE SPEAKS:

THANK YOU MIKE. CLEARLY ONE OF OUR KEY DRIVERS IN ESTABLISHING THIS FACILITY IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY AND WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS.

AND NOW IT IS MY VERY GREAT PLEASURE TO INVITE THE HONOURABLE PHIL HEATLY, MINISTER OF FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE, TO SAY A FEW WORDS, BEFORE OFFICIALLY OPENING OUR NEW FACILITY. MINISTER.

MINISTER HEATLY SPEAKS

THANK YOU MINISTER.

WE ACKNOWLEGE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN ENABLING CAWTHRON, A CHARITABLE TRUST WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL; RESOURCES, TO TAKE THE SIGNIFICANT STEP OF BUILDING THIS FACILITY. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME NOT ONLY TO SPEAK BUT TO OFFICIATE ON THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION.

IF OUR GUESTS WOULD NOW LIKE TO ADJOURN TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE WHERE THE MINISTER WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN CAWTHRON’S GLENHAVEN AQUACULTURE FACILITY AND UNVEIL A MEMORIAL PLAQUE

MINISTER DECLARES FACILITIES OPEN.

THAT ENDS THE OFFICIAL PART OF OUR DAY. THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OUR GUESTS FOR SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH US. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL STAY ON AND ENJOY OUR HOSPITALITY A WHILE LONGER BEFORE JOINING US FOR A TOUR OF OUR NEW FACILITY - DEPARTING AT 6:30 PM.