June 09, 2020
PGF sweetens Coromandel mussel prospects
Hauraki iwi are set to mussel up with an almost $20 million investment from the Provincial Growth Fund to expand Sugarloaf Wharf at Thames.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says it will increase mussel farming capacity by almost 20,000 tonnes, bringing additional jobs to the region.
He says aquaculture contributes $70 million to GDP in Thames-Coromandel and is responsible for 350 jobs.
Iwi hold consents for 40 percent of available water space in the Gulf, with all mussels being unloaded at Sugarloaf Wharf.
The new wharf, Te Ariki Tahi Sugarloaf, will feature an extended, raised wharf platform to account for rising sea levels, with four new berths to allow for increased commercial activity.
Mr Peters says a separate facility for launching recreational boats will bring more visitors to the region and open up new opportunities such as charter fishing.
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