March 27, 2014
New nets demand new boats
The biggest Maori-owned inshore fishing company may soon have a new fleet to improve the quality of the fish it is serving up.
Aotearoa Fisheries chief executive Carl Carrington says new technology the company had helped develop such as precision harvesting is creating a generational change in the industry.
He says while some existing boars can be refitted, new vessels may be needed to take best advantage of the new technology and create the supply chain improvements that customers are demanding.
"You can’t sell what you can't catch. We've invested heavily in this precision harvesting technology . You've got to have the right sort of boats to get that quality coming from the trawling technology right through to the plate. It's one of those core investments," Mr Carrington says.
He says Aotearoa Fisheries is now looking at Korean ship builders, as New Zealand firms were too busy or too expensive.
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