Kirsty receiving the 2025 Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa (WoAA) Excellence Award from co-founders Áine O’Neill (left) and Caroline Gilbertson (center)
MT Farms Pahi Ltd
From policy to oysters: Kirsty Colquhoun’s aquaculture journey
Kirsty Colquhoun never planned to become an oyster farmer. She describes her introduction to the industry as a gradual one, through her husband Jesse.
The pair met 26 years ago when they were both starting university. Oyster farming was always nearby, but not central to Kirsty’s life.
“My father-in-law has been farming oysters in Pahi now for about 30 years, and it was always around us, but it wasn’t my world,” she says. “Jesse used to work on the farm with his dad to support himself through uni.”
For many years, oyster farming stayed firmly in the background while Kirsty built a career as a policy advisor, and both she and Jesse worked in council roles. That changed around 10 years ago.
“I was on parental leave with our first child, who was a baby, and my father-in-law started talking about retiring,” Kirsty explains. “Jesse wanted to work for himself, and he already knew oyster farming, so we thought, why not shake up our lives?”
At first, Kirsty saw herself as ‘a stay-at-home parent married to an oyster farmer’. As their children grew, she gradually became more involved in the business.
“There wasn’t a lot of tolerance in the family for bookwork, so I picked up the admin,” she says. “It suited me because I could work around family life.”
The family bought into the business, MT Farms Pahi Ltd, a decade ago, and it remains strongly family focused.
Jesse runs the farm full-time, Kirsty manages administration and works on the farm, Jesse’s sisters run the factory side selling oysters in tubs, and their father, now in his 70s, still heads out on the farm most days.
While much of the farm continues with traditional stick farming, it is gradually shifting to flip farming for premium oysters sold in the shell.
“We’re not converting everything, but we are moving into the FlipFarm world,” Kirsty says.
An old mussel farm has been converted to flip farming after problems with heavy biofouling.
“Everything used to get covered, but flipping really changed that. We’ve got eight lines now.”
Kirsty works closely with Jesse on the flip-farmed oysters and has taken on grading and packing.
“I discovered the width of my hand is the perfect size for grading,” she says.
The farm now sources triploid oysters from a nursery rather than relying on wild catch.
“Wild catch was just too unpredictable and slower growing for our premium product.”
Like all oyster farmers, the business is heavily influenced by environmental conditions, making the shift from salaried council jobs to self-employment a significant change.
“You go from a steady wage to something that depends on weather, tides, and nature.”
Kirsty and Jesse have two children, aged seven and nearly 11, and flexibility is key.
“Jesse is full-time on the farm, and I work around the kids,” Kirsty says. “I work when they’re at school and fit things in around after-school activities. It’s flexible parenting.”
Their children often help out too, spending time on the farm or at the depot.
While Jesse is clear he would never return to council work, Kirsty still enjoys the thinking side of her former career.
“That’s why I’ve been getting more involved at the industry level.”
In recent years, Kirsty has stepped up within the oyster industry, supporting farmers through hardship and helping with recovery after Cyclone Gabrielle. She has liaised with government, started an association newsletter, taken on new responsibilities, and helped organise conferences.
“It keeps my brain engaged, and I get to use the skills I’ve developed,” she says.
In 2025, Kirsty was named a Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa Excellence Award winner.
“Oyster farmers aren’t very demonstrative,” she says. “We’re quite isolated, so being recognised by your peers really meant a lot.”
Looking ahead, Kirsty sees her role growing in industry communications and connection.
“Jesse drives the farm side, and what I do is very lifestyle oriented. We’re a good team.”
For Kirsty, it’s about balancing family, farming, and a wider purpose — and helping others along the way.