A new chapter for New Zealand's seaweed industry has begun in Rakiura

Rakiura (Stewart Island) local fisherman Zane Smith and Greenwave Aotearoa has successfully deployed New Zealand's first commercial seaweed farm using Arctic Seaweed's modular cultivation system - the first time the technology has been used anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere.

Supported by Te Puni Kōkiri's Māori Development Fund, Greenwave Aotearoa is helping build the technical capability, business knowledge and infrastructure needed to cultivate native seaweed while unlocking the potential of currently underutilised Māori-owned marine assets.

"The farm demonstrates how strategic investment can support Māori enterprise, innovation, and sustainable economic development," reflected Zane.

For us, this represents years of work across the entire supply chain from eco-sourcing native seaweed and hatchery spore induction through to farm cultivation, product innovation, and now the capability to deploy Arctic Seaweed AS Seaweed farm systems throughout Oceania.

It also reflects the strength of international collaboration. This milestone has only been possible through an extraordinary group of partners who have shared expertise, funding, engineering capability and belief in what New Zealand's native seaweed sector can become.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, including:

Zane Smith, Travis Chittenden and the team at Rakiura Helicopters, our farming partners.

Arctic Seaweed AS Kim Kristensen, Normann and Espen for bringing world-leading seaweed farming technology to the Southern Hemisphere and transferring that knowledge to New Zealand.

Jackson Kibblewhite and his team at Marine Services for designing and installing the screw anchor system, and being awesome to work with.

Te Puni Kōkiri Māori Development Fund, especially Jan Ormsby and Gail Thompson, for supporting Māori enterprise and innovation.

Hon Tama Potaka, NZTE, including Mat Taylor (thanks to NZTE Springboard for its support of a camera crew), Great South - especially Bobbi Brown.

Te Ao Mārama Inc, Ngāi Tahu Awarua Rūnaka, including Barry Bragg, Aimee Kaio and Cory Bragg. Kernohan Engineering, particularly Paul Miller and Josh Knox, design and build of camera brackets and counter weights. Seaweave, led by Chris Rodley, for on-farm real-time video monitoring.

GreenWave US, including @Bren Smith, Emily Stengall and Kendall Barbery Barbery, whose global leadership continues to inspire the regenerative ocean farming movement.

We're incredibly proud to be building this industry alongside all of you.