NIWA's Chief Executive, John Morgan has welcomed the proposals for the aquaculture industry regulatory reform that had been announced by Phil Heatley, who is the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Cabinet has agreed with a number of amendments that will help boosting the sector's capability to produce sustainable monetary growth, for the industry in New Zealand.

Mr. Morgan stated that it is believed that aquaculture industry has the potential to arrive at its objective of $1 billion in sales by the year 2025, especially if tries to expand itself into a new high value finish.

A recent market tasting of NIWA's farmed hapuku, with the best Australasian chefs gave a confirmation that it has the potential as a first-class product in the global super- fine dining sector.

One of the chefs, who tasted a white fleshed farmed fish, was of the view that it was the best out of all the fish that they tasted.

Mr. Morgan said that conducting research and development like this is not an exercise and is of an insignificant importance. It has taken six years of innovative work to have landed with what is there in front of everyone, and which is the best of its kind.