MT. COOK ALPINE SALMON HISTORY
Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon pioneered salmon farming in canals. In 1992, with the encouragement of the canal owners, hydro electric generation company ECNZ (now Meridian Energy) and the founding company Southern Sockeye Salmon Ltd launched a trial salmon farm raft in the Ohau Canal. This raft was stocked with King and Sockeye salmon, the first such system in the world. While much information existed for salmon farming, there was no advice on how to operate a raft capable of holding 70,000 fish, and the flow and hydraulic effects on rafts and the fish was unknown.
The first years of operation were trial and error. They made mistakes and learnt along the way. Development of the structures, equipment and farming methods evolved requiring on-site and sometimes urgent problem solving.
In 1995 the company started a further trial on the neighbouring Tekapo Canal, which has a maximum flow of 130 cumecs, compared with the Ohau Canal maximum of 220 cumecs. This became the highest salmon farm site in the world at 677 metres above sea level.
As experience grew, redevelopment and improvement could be carried out and new trials undertaken with a better understanding of the farming environment. New ownership and renaming to Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon Ltd in 2009 signified a new era for the farm. Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon is now regarded as one of the most premium salmon producers in the world.
NEW ZEALAND SALMON FARMING HISTORY
New Zealand has no native salmon. In the 1900s Pacific King salmon (also known as Quinnat or Chinook) were introduced to New Zealand from California and Canada. King salmon eventually became established with self-sustaining runs on the East Coast of the South Island.
In the early days, salmon farming was essentially competing with traditional capture fisheries. The seafood world has changed considerably and a long history of overfishing has led to a global movement towards sustainability. New Zealand’s response to the depleting wild fish stocks was to introduce a strictly enforced Quota Management System in 1986; this currently controls 46 species, including King salmon, and allows the government to adjust the annual catch to ensure fish stocks remain at a sustainable level. It is actively supported by the national fishing industry.
The sustainable management system has fuelled the growth of aquaculture as it aims to guarantee long-term plentiful supplies for domestic and export markets.
Most of New Zealand’s salmon production occurs in the Marlborough Sounds and Stewart Island; all of the freshwater farms are in the South Island and are smaller than ocean farms. New Zealand salmon is regarded as being of supreme quality because it is King salmon, free of major salmon pathogens and raised in the pristine New Zealand environment.
