Save the Date

2025 Fast Tracking Aquaculture Conference: supercharging the sector

A huge thank you to all the delegates, speakers, sponsors, and partners who helped make this year’s conference such a success.  Together, our industry came together to share knowledge, celebrate leadership, and look ahead to the future of sustainable aquaculture in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Conference highlights included:

• An energising opening address from Hon. Shane Jones, calling for bold leadership, collaboration, and bespoke regulations to supercharge the aquaculture sector.

• Presentation of the Lifetime Service to Aquaculture and Industry Award to Bruce Hearn, recognising decades of dedication, commitment, and service.

• Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa (WoAA) Awards for Outstanding Service to Jane Symonds and Industry Excellence to Kirsty Colquhoun.

• Grant Lovell (New Zealand King Salmon) sharing insights into innovation and resilience across operations —and a memorable boat montage.

• Engaging technical and specialist sessions exploring the latest advances in feed, genetics, and technology.

• Inspiring leadership insights from both Shane Fletcher and our wonderful MC, Julia Jones.

• Hearing directly from our 2025 Evolving Leaders about the importance of connections, shared experiences, and how they learnt more about themselves and how to become better leaders from Andrew Fox.

• A heartfelt and courageous presentation from the Mahurangi Oyster farmers, sharing their lived experience of the impacts of consented pollution and the need for strong environmental stewardship.

• An entertaining presentation from Jason Paris (CEO of One New Zealand) with some raw feedback from their customers and how we should be embracing AI.

• A global perspective from our international guests, including social media ‘fishfluencer’ James Sibley, who stressed the importance of storytelling and connection in aquaculture.

• Over 500 delegates, 49 presenters, 36 trade stands, 32 sponsors

• The unforgettable showcase of some of New Zealand’s finest farmed seafood at the cocktail function

Across two days, the conference reflected a clear theme of leadership, innovation, workforce development, and shared purpose — the foundations of a strong future for New Zealand aquaculture.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed, presented, sponsored, exhibited or attended. Your participation made it an event to remember. 

We look forward to seeing you at the 2026 AQNZ conference!

For the first time, Aquaculture New Zealand called for nominations of Evolving Leaders from New Zealand’s aquaculture sector.  These leaders were invited to attend the inaugural Evolving Leaders hui in which they engaged in practical leadership training, adventure-based learning, and industry networking — culminating in their attendance at the Aquaculture New Zealand Conference.

Congratulation and well done to all our 2025 Evolving Leaders.

You can read more about the criteria for the Evolving Leaders Hui on the Careers page of our website.

Thank you to our Evolving Leaders sponsors: Rezource Limited, WSP, Great South and Skipper Training NZ.

Back row from left: James Aitken (Mahurangi Oysters), Gareth Foote (Aroma), Jacob Radon (Arapawa Blue Pearls), Henry Thorp (Akaroa Salmon), Ben McDonald (Waimana Marine), Harrison Mallabar (New Zealand King Salmon)
Front row from left: Marcos Sheppard (MacLab), Tim Archie (United Fisheries), Sean Pennells (Sanford), Luhan Arangies (High Country Salmon), Cory Stesson (Moana New Zealand) and Sacha MacDonald (Rezource - Key sponsor)

Thank you once again to the fabulous sponsors of our 2025 Aquaculture New Zealand conference:

If you would like to secure a sponsorship package for the 2026 conference, please contact Karen Morley - karen.morley@aquaculture.org.nz

SILVER SPONSORS