NEW KIWI FISHING TECHNOLOGY
GETS APPROVAL
Scientists, investors,
skippers and fishers
behind the new
Precision Seafood
Harvesting fishing
technology are elated
that their worldleading
The technology - the first
non-mesh commercial
fishing innovation to
be approved for use in
New Zealand following
changes to the fishing regulations
last year - has been developed to
help fishing vessels add value to
deep-water fish species that are
landed on-board in better condition.
It is the first innovation of its kind in
100 years of commercial fishing that
has been approved for commercial
use. Six years of trials with the
deep-water species has shown
that when using PSH technology,
fish are in better condition and
quality when landed, the company’s
programme manager Dave Woods
says. “This is possible as the fish
are held in conditions of very low
velocity water flow and this is the
biggest difference compared to
normal mesh-based trawl designs,”
he says. “Importantly fish that do
go through the escapement holes
underwater have a better chance of
survival than if they go out through
traditional trawl mesh.” Woods,
who has been with the programme
since it started in 2012, says the
new way of fishing will mean New
Zealand can sell a higher proportion
of the highest-grade fish. “We can
get a higher value because the
fish aren’t damaged. For hoki, that
means more product at the higher
end of the quality cascade, such as
skinless fillets or whole chilled hoki,
and less volumes of the lower end
products like B-grade fillet blocks,
mince or fishmeal. We hope this
is a step change for innovation in
the way we fish. To do this we
have had to test and prove every
aspect of the new designs, because
they are so new and different and
this has never been done before.”
Approval is just a first step for PSH,
which is working to get commercial
approval for other species. “PSH
isn’t just creating a new way to fish,
it’s creating whole new industry
opportunities around this innovation
like manufacturing and supporting
the new fishing gear and new
vessel designs,” Woods says.
The approval also starts to build a
foundation for regional development
in terms of manufacturing for new
prototypes of this technology. “Until
we had commercial approval it has
been difficult to justify the capital
investments required to scale-up
the manufacturing capabilities. This
was due to the uncertainties of an
technology
has been approved for
commercial use in the
deep water hoki, hake
and ling fisheries.
The world is watching
this technology. There’s
been a huge amount of
amazing kiwi IP and
expertise built up through
this programme, and we
need to make sure we’re
able to utilise all of it
when this new technology
is fully commercialised.
PETFOOD
ON TOP
Mount Maunganui-based premium petfood
manufacturer Ziwi – which uses unique air-dried
technology - has taken top honours at the 2018
Zespri BOP ExportNZ Awards.
The 16-year-old company
scooped the title of
best medium to large
business exporter at
the awards, which chief
executive Richard Lawrence says
has made his workforce proud.
“Ziwi’s high quality ingredients
and high meat formulation have
attracted an enormous following of
cats and dogs around the world,”
he says. “The vision to create air
dried, nutrient-packed meals that
are free from grains, fillers and
artificial additives has given us a
real point of difference here and
in international markets. In recent
years - with the help of our majority
shareholders the Stewart family
- we have consistently invested
in our people and plant to set up
a strong network of marketing
and distribution teams throughout
the world. It is wonderful to be
recognised for the huge passion and
commitment our team has made,
especially in the last few years.”
In a move to establish the brand in
the United States and Canada, Ziwi
opened its first offshore office in
the US in 2010. Lawrence says the
US is home to 78 million dogs and
recognised globally as the leader in
pet nutrition. Today the market is
well developed and Ziwi has grown
a strong following, especially as
an increasing number of owners
humanise their pets and seek to
replicate human food trends like the
paleo diet, which focuses on grainfree
and high meat content. Ziwi’s
export markets have expanded
into Asia, Europe and Australia,
and the brand is now distributed in
more than 20 countries. Mainland
China is the most recent addition
to Ziwi’s territories, and has rapidly
become a major market in less than
24 months. Much of this growth
in China is led by cat food but with
increasing dog ownership, the China
market is set to continue to develop.
Along with a recent expansion into
the South Island, Ziwi has partnered
with ANZCO Foods to form a new
joint venture operation producing pet
treats and oral health products. The
New Zealand Natural Chews and
Treats Company will also operate
out of the new Christchurch site to
produce a range of natural, premium
products for export markets. Judges
of the awards say Ziwi is a very
impressive business in terms of
business strategy, its focus on staff
wellbeing, and the general ethos
inducted by management.
TOP HONOUR
12 JULY 2018