Sitting on the coast of Ruakākā, the Northland Aquaculture Centre is home to the  revolutionary Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). This system produces our high-quality kingfish, known as Haku. It has been prized by chefs in Australia, the US and Canada, as well as locally.

The land-based commercial-scale RAS was launched in late 2024 and features eight 350,000 litre tanks as part of its experimental system. It demonstrates the technical, operational, biological and financial feasibility of land-based farming of Haku kingfish.+

Inside the Northland Reticulating Aquaculture Centre where Haku are bred for fine dining. Photo: Earth Sciences NZ

The development and establishment of the New Zealand’s first RAS system for fish culture represents a complementary and/or alternative approach to sea cage-based culture. It also provides opportunity for regional aquaculture development, especially for coastal communities and Māori, and has potential to overcome existing sector risks, such as disease, climate change impacts and biosecurity, and to reduce production costs and carbon emissions.

This project has advanced 20 years of research into commercial reality through the integration of the team’s biological, operational, technical and financial skills and expertise. The team is also committed to environmental sustainability, animal welfare and efficiency measures.

Entering the market with a new high-value species represents the first introduction of a new aquaculture species for industry uptake in over 30 years.

The farm is on track to produce 400 tonnes of kingfish a year, building up to 600 tonnes annually over the coming years.

Haku sashimi rack by Chef Makoto Tokuyama of Cocoro restaurant. Photo: Luke McPake / ESNZ