Land-based fish farm growing kingfish on commercial scale

A new land-based fish farm is growing kingfish in tanks on a commercial scale.

The facility at NIWA’s Northland Aquaculture Centre in Ruakākā, which officially opened today, will be able to produce up to 600 tonnes of kingfish each year.

Kingfish in the farm grow from a 1mm egg to a 3kg market-sized fish in less than a year.

"We saw a clear gap in the market for an on-land farm that produces commercial quantities of high-quality fish. This new facility uses a recirculating aquaculture system [RAS], which offers superior environmental and economic performance, and full control over all aspects of production," NIWA chief executive John Morgan said today in a media release.

"Chefs and local restaurant suppliers sing the praises of the quality of our kingfish, and we have had significant interest from the food sector and commercial partners."

The farm is a a joint venture by NIWA and the Northland Regional Council.

"Beyond the jobs created and revenue generated for our community, this venture has helped to put Northland on the map in terms of forward-thinking, environmentally-friendly farming," council chairman Geoff Crawford said.