10th October 2025
10th October 2025
7:30 - 8:30
8:30 - 9:00
Mihi Whakatau, Archdeacon Harvey Ruru
Welcome & housekeeping, Lucas Evans, MC
ANZSA Update, Michael Lakeman, ANZSA Chair
9:00 - 9.15
Seaweed's future in the New Zealand aquaculture industry
Jenny Marcroft, Parliamentary, Under-Secretary for Fisheries and Oceans
9.15 - 10.30
Supporting the growth of Australia’s seaweed industry
Daniel E. Abrahams, CEO, Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre (MBCRC)
From Orchard to Ocean: What Can Seaweed Learn From Kiwifruit?
Bryan Parkes, Head of Innovation Acceleration, Zespri International Ltd
Seaweed aquaculture presents a transformative opportunity for sustainable development, climate action, and blue economy growth — or does it?
Catriona Macleod, Director Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA) , Adjunct Professor (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at University of Tasmania), Director World Aquaculture Society
The Scottish seaweed journey: Achievements, innovations, and lessons learned
Rhianna Rees, CEO, Scottish Seaweed Industry Association
Q&A -facilitated by Mareike Babuder, Science Officer at Waikaitu Ltd
10:30 - 11:15
11:15 - 12.00
Scaling seaweed next to scaly fish, boring economic, operational, ecological and social challenges and opportunities
Shea Cameron, Churchill Fellow for Seaweed Farming and Asset and Planning Manager, Huon Aquaculture
Action leadership on scaling Aotearoa New Zealand's seaweed supply chain
Hamish Howard, Commercial Lead, Greenwave Aotearoa
Seaweed, Science & Success: What happens when collaboration works
Clare Bradley, CEO, Agrisea Limited
Q&A facilitated by Felicity Perry, Managing Director, Kelp Blue Aoteoroa
12.00 - 12:20
Janet Reid, PhD student, University of Otago
Kizzie Amoore, PhD student, University of Auckland
Yuanze Sun, PhD student, University of Auckland
Juliet Linzmeier, MSc student, University of Waikato
12:20 - 1:40
1:40 - 2.20
Paul Morgan, Director, Hinemoana Halo
Exploring innovative credit systems to be good kaitiaki of seaweeds
Robert Bell, Blueshift Consulting, Australia
Exploring the potential for environmental credits in seaweed aquaculture
Panel facilitated by Michael Lakeman, ANZSA Chair
Species-specific optimal growing substrates - novel, recycled materials for growing LBA for aquaculture or restoration purposes
Daniel Crossett, Marine Ecologist, Cawthron Institute
Innovative applications of New Zealand seaweed polysaccharides
Lyn Wise, Assoc Prof School of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Otago
2.20 - 3.00
Releasing restrictive policy settings to enable the seaweed industry to thrive and innovate - NESMA update
Stephanie Hopkins, Principal Advisor Aquaculture Policy Team, MPI
Undaria Update
John Walsh, Director Pest Management , New Zealand Biosecurity
Q&A facilitated by Rebecca Clarkson, Principal Advisor & Director, Aquaculture Direct
3:00 - 3:40
3.40 - 4.15
Building the value chain for Asparagopsis
Octavio Perez-Garcia, Head of Seaweed Research and R&D and Growing, CH4 Global
Infrastructure and investment to enable growth in the entire value chain
Blair Wolfgram, Managing Director, Ocean Beach
Te Wero Nui - Combatting exotic Caulerpa - the seafloor coloniser
Nicola MacDonald MNZM, CEO, Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust
4.15 - 4.45
Panelists: Bryan Parks, Daniel Abrahams, Rebecca Barclay, Lucas Evans
Facilitated by Michael Lakeman, ANZSA Chair
4.45-4.50
Presented by Clare Bradley & Richard Furneaux
5.00 - 6:00