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September 04, 2023
Te Arawa trees to offset fish fleet emissions
Adam Gifford
Posted On September 4, 2023
Sealord will invest in growing permanent forest on Te Arawa whenua in the wider Rotorua area as a way to offset its carbon emissions.
The Māori-owned deepwater fishing company intends to spend $10 million over the next ten years on the Ara Rākau programme, which was developed by Te Arawa Fisheries and New Zealand Carbon Farming.
Te Arawa Fisheries CEO Chris Karamea Insley says the plan will create jobs and help improve the local environment, including water quality in and around Te Arawa lakes.
He says it’s an example of the opportunities the carbon economy offers Māori.
Sealord chief executive Doug Paulin says since it started measuring its carbon footprint in 2019, the company has reduced its emissions by 23.7 percent through investment in new vessels, fuel optimisation, focussed maintenance and reducing fossil fuel use in its land-based operations.
Off-setting is seen as a final option, but a major reduction will require new engine technology and new fuel sources for its fleet, which accounts for over 90 percent of its scope 1 emissions.
New Zealand Carbon Farming director Matt Walsh says the company will establish an exotic nurse crop and transition to a biodiverse native environment.
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