MOU signals major step forward for Project Oyster Shell

PRESS RELEASE - Enterprise Northland - Wednesday 1st February  2012

The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Waikare Inlet oyster farmers and regional economic development body Enterprise Northland is being hailed as a major step forward for an ambitious $3.8 million plan to recycle oyster farm waste.

From left to right: Joe Carr (Chairman Environment Committee NRC), Mike Hearn (Director WOWR), Joe George (Waikare Marae), Ben Warren (Director WOWR), Wayne Hutchinson (General Manager Enterprise Northland), Irene Durham (Trustee Enterprise Northland)

‘Project Oyster Shell’ is a $3.8 million joint venture between central and local government, regional economic development agency Enterprise Northland (EN), oyster farmers and industry.

It will see up to 6400 tonnes of waste shell – and about 300 tonnes of waste timber – from Waikare Inlet oyster farms recovered over the next two-and-a-half years.

The Enterprise Northland Trust has overall responsibility for the project and Project Manager Jacquie Reed says the shells will come from roughly 30 hectares of Waikare Inlet.

Dr Reed says a consortium of oyster farmers has formed a company ‘Waikare Oyster Waste Recovery Ltd’ which has contracted to Enterprise Northland for the recycling and clean-up mission.

She says details are still being finalised and are commercially sensitive, however, it’s hoped the recovered shell can be used in two new initiatives currently under development with the Ministry of Science and Innovation and Auckland University.

As part of that process, EN trustee Irene Durham had recently signed an MOU at Opua with directors of Waikare Oyster Waste Recovery Ltd to undertake the shell and timber recovery associated with the project. 

Dr Reed says the closure of Waikare Inlet oyster farms over the last decade due to water quality issues that have since largely been resolved had caused significant economic losses and major social and cultural impacts.

“Mud and shell build-up had effectively rendered those areas unusable for the aquaculture they were designated for and these are the places that are being targeted for shell/waste timber recovery.”

Irene Durham says Project Oyster Shell is now poised to deliver exciting environmental and economic benefits to Northland over the next several years.

The MOU signing was witnessed by Councillor Joe Carr, chairman of the regional council’s Environmental Management Committee and Joe and Sonny George from the Waikare Marae, all of whom congratulated the team on the milestone.

Dr Reed says Sonny George said the benefits of Project Oyster Shell would increase the health of the local kaimoana resource which was of benefit to everyone.

She says the next major step for Project Oyster Shell will be to build a small shore-based reclamation to handle the waste timber and shell close to Russell.  Resource consent applications for the reclamation are expected to be filed at the end of this month.

Celebrating the MOU milestone are directors and shareholders of Waikare Oyster Waste Recovery, Enterprise Northland and Northland Regional Council staff, Tania McInnes (Operations Officer WOWR), Sonny and Joe George (Waikare Marae)