Identifying 'blue economy' opportunities

Blue economy businesses are growing in New Zealand, but what opportunities are on the horizon?

A blue economy is made up of marine activities that generate economic value and contribute positively to social, cultural and ecological well-being. Aquaculture, seaweed farming, offshore renewable energy, low carbon marine transport, tourism and biotechnology are all potential examples.

A new three-month project is reviewing how the blue economy in Aotearoa is growing and changing, and the potential of research and innovation to support its development.

Nigel Bradly is leading a team from Envirostrat, and the Universities of Canterbury and Auckland, on the Transitioning to a blue economy in Aotearoa New Zealand research project. They will stocktake national and international blue economy developments, and look at future opportunities, threats and constraints.

“This project will help identify research opportunities for the next five-years of Sustainable Seas research. We’re looking for ways to develop and grow Aotearoa’s blue economy that are sustainable, resilient to climate change, minimise waste, and have positive impacts on society and culture,” says Nigel.

The work is relevant to other Sustainable Seas research projects, in particular Phase II project: Risks to businesses from investment and environmental uncertainty.

The team will work closely with iwi and stakeholders to gather a range of perspectives and better understand the potential value of Aotearoa's blue economy.

This research builds on Phase I projects: Creating value from a blue economy and Whai Rawa, Whai Mana, Whai Oranga: Creating a world-leading indigenous blue economy projects.

Find out more

Nigel Bradly, Envirostrat [email protected]