A+ Resource Library

Here you will find all of the AQNZ templates, guides, frameworks, and other resources designed to help our farmers improve their sustainability practices.

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Our A+ Biosecurity Standards

Our Biosecurity Standards were written to provide a robust framework for industry to build best practice around and to set a high standard of operation for the industry. These standards aim to implement management measures that reduce biosecurity risk.

Click the images below to access the full documents.

Welfare and Community

Staff and community welfare is a fundamental component of the A+ programme. FirstMate is a charity that supports fishers, marine farmers and their whanau with their mental health and wellbeing.

“ We are here to help and only a phone call away. And we're here for you! We understand the seafood sector and the highs and lows that come with it. Our 20-Navigators are in almost every port in New Zealand are a listening ear and can connect you with the services you need. “

FirstMate offer a wide variety of free resources to support the seafood industry:

We encourage all of our farmers to make sure their staff are aware of the services provided by FirstMate and take a proactive approach to mental and physical health and wellbeing.

You can call FirstMate on

0800 ADRIFT

Sustainable Management Frameworks

Our Sustainable Management Frameworks form the foundation of the A+ Programme. The frameworks outline the programme structure and timeframes, expectations of participating parties, relevant legislation, internal and external assessment criteria, international certification alignment, foundational risk assessments, and relevant species information.

These frameworks are reviewed against programme updates, external assessor feedback, and best practice changes, in order to ensure they remain relevant and fit for purpose.

Click the images below to download the latest version for each farmed species.

A+ Templates for Farmers

Here you can find the various A+ Template documents designed to help you meet best practice. If you have any questions about the templates please feel free to contact us at AQNZ and we will be happy to help. These templates are made to reflect standards of protocol and recording set by international best practice certifications and standards.

Many templates have been supplied in both Word and Excel formats. Simply select which format works best for you.

Downloads

Staff Training Register (Word)

Staff Training Register (excel)

Complaints Register (word)

Complaints Register (excel)

Community Engagement Register (excel)

Community Engagement Register (Word)

Wildlife Interactions Register (excel)

Wildlife Management Plan Template

Contact AQNZ if you wish to request additional templates

Animal Welfare

Maintaining high levels of animal welfare is integral to sustainable aquaculture and our farmers continue to prioritise welfare in their practices.

Salmon Welfare Standards

Our salmon farmers collectively saw the need for specific standards for salmon welfare in NZ, in addition to minimum legal requirements.

Together they formed and agreed to the Salmon Welfare Standards - committing to a high level of best practice throughout salmon farming in Aotearoa.

Download the Full Salmon Welfare Standard

Life Cycle Assessments

Independent Life Cycle Assessments have highlighted the exceptionally low carbon footprints of our farmed species in Aotearoa. All 3 of our species have been shown to be among some of the lowest carbon animal proteins in the world.

Notably, our Greenshell mussels were found to have a carbon footprint lower than tofu making it one of the most sustainable forms of protein on the planet. We are incredibly proud of the light environmental footprint of our industry.

Read the report summaries and full reports to find out more.

Shellfish Full Report

Shellfish Report Summary

Salmon Full Report

Salmon Report Summary

A+ Sustainability Reports

Each year we produce a sustainability report using information provided by our farmers through the A+ programme. We use these reports to update on our progress as an industry. See the reports from previous years below.