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Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Danny Martin Danny Martin Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: August 2023 ANZSIC A0400NZ

Revenue

$1.8bn

2023-24

$1.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,775

Businesses

1,490

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand industry analysis

The industry has been turbulent in recent years due to fluctuating market conditions, an unstable New Zealand dollar and ongoing inflationary aftershocks from global supply chain disruptions. Industrywide revenue is expected to have dipped at an annualised 0.1% over the past five years, totalling $1.8 billion in 2023-24. This includes a 2.5% jump in revenue anticipated for the current year, led by a rise in export earnings. Key markets like China have facilitated a hefty portion of industry activity, especially as Australian trade tensions with the country continue. The New Zealand dollar’s depreciating value has made the industry's seafood products more competitive in international markets.

Trends and Insights

  • The Quota Management System, which limits wild-catch fishing, has stifled short-term production to bolster the industry’s long-term viability. As it's not subject to the QMS, aquaculture investment opens doors to expanding the industry.
  • Aquaculture currently only represents a small slice of industry activity. This avenue will offer future production gains as sustainably farmed salmon bypass QMS quota limits.
  • New Zealand has rights to a vast area of ocean called an exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The EEZ covers an area of over 4.0 million square kilometres, which is significantly larger than the country's land mass.
  • Fishing and aquaculture farmers compete based on factors like quality, price and fishing license availability. Domestic competition over pricing is fierce as fishers with established access to overseas markets can command higher prices for superior items.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.8bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

The Quota Management System has limited production volumes, slowing short-term revenue growth

  • The Quota Management System (QMS) is hampering the industry's ability to recover from the pandemic by capping catch volumes for specific fish and seafood species. However, this is a necessary measure to ensure that wild catching remains viable in the long term.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand
Revenue (2013-2028)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Continued export market growth will remain the catalyst for industry expansion

  • Fishers and aquaculture farmers are set to focus on burgeoning foreign markets, capitalising on growing incomes and rising demand for premium produce overseas.

Biggest companies in the Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Sanford
107.9
New Zealand King Salmon
80.3
Sealord
75.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Fish, Crustaceans and Molluscs and other invertebrates. Fish is the largest segment of the Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Fish prices are up, but catch quotas have limited this segment’s growth

  • The majority of farmed fish are king salmon, with open-ocean pens in Marlborough, Southland and Canterbury the largest sources. A modest proportion of king salmon production comes from freshwater farming operations, with ponds and hydro canals serving as the mainstays.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry operators primarily catch fish and other seafood. In addition, some industry players breed and farm finfish, molluscs and crustaceans.

What's included in this industry?

FishCrustaceansMolluscsOystersSquidAbaloneClamsScallops

Companies

SanfordNew Zealand King SalmonSealord

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

FISHERYQUOTA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (QMS)ESTUARY

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0201 - Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The Quota Management System, which limits wild-catch fishing, has stifled short-term production to bolster the industry’s long-term viability. As it's not subject to the QMS,...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Aquaculture currently only represents a small slice of industry activity. This avenue will offer future production gains as sustainably farmed salmon bypass QMS quota limits.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

New Zealand has rights to a vast area of ocean called an exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The EEZ covers an area of over 4.0 million square kilometres, which is significantly l...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Fishing and aquaculture farmers compete based on factors like quality, price and fishing license availability. Domestic competition over pricing is fierce as fishers with est...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No companies in the Fishing and Aquaculture industry account for over 5.0% market share. The industry primarily comprises small-scale enterprises that own a single vessel and...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of Sanford's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of New Zealand King Salmon's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Sealord's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Sanford, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for New Zealand King Salmon, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Sealord, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Fishing and aquaculture activities are heavily regulated due to potential ecological impacts. The rules governing these practices are often updated to respond to changes in f...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Industry cost structures can vary considerably due to operations’ diverse natures. Additionally, a player's size can influence costs, with larger companies attaining greater ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand in 2024?

The market size of the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand is $1.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand industry in 2023?

There are 1,490 businesses in the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Fishing and Aquaculture market in New Zealand?

The biggest companies operating in the Fishing and Aquaculture market in New Zealand are Sanford, New Zealand King Salmon and Sealord

What does the Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand include?

Fish and Crustaceans are part of the Fishing and Aquaculture industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Fishing and Aquaculture in New Zealand?

The company holding the most market share in New Zealand is Sanford.

How competitive is the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Fishing and Aquaculture industry in New Zealand.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in New Zealand include:

  • Statistics New Zealand
  • New Zealand Company Register
  • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.