The Cawthron Institute is active in the following areas:

• Aquaculture
• Biosecurity
• Food safety and quality
• Resource management
• Sustainable business
• Algal technologies
• Analytical laboratories.

Aquaculture

Cawthron’s aquaculture production research and development team has been built up to support the aquaculture industry in its sustainable development. Government-funded long-term research underpins a variety of industry-funded projects including:

• aquaculture production biology
• marine farm consent and compliance.

Biosecurity

Cawthron’s marine biosecurity team provides expert advice to the aquaculture industry and other users and stakeholders on all biosecurity matters.

Food safety and quality

Cawthron provides research and advice that ensures the safety and quality of New Zealand’s seafood products and their access in key international markets. Research areas include:

• phytoplankton taxonomy
• harmful algal blooms and phytoplankton ecology.

Resource management

New Zealand places great importance on sustainable management of its natural and physical resources, and promotes this through the Resource Management Act. Cawthron provides research, technology and advice for management of sustainable marine and freshwater ecosystems and resources, including:

• risk analyses and predictive modelling
• assessments of environmental effects and monitoring
• research to develop new tools for management of aquatic ecosystems.

Sustainable business

Cawthron helps New Zealanders to optimise value from sustainable management of natural resources. They integrate science, economics and policy to deliver practical, research-based solutions for both private and public sector clients, including:

• resource allocation and policy
• sustainable technology and modelling
• strategies for sustainability.

Algal technologies

Cawthron focuses on research and development that utilises novel technologies for new environmental monitoring tools, management of risks to seafood safety and exports, and development of high value algal products.

Laboratory services

Cawthron offers an extensive range of routine analytical services across a wide variety of industries such as wine, seafood, meat and dairy, natural products, environmental and natural toxins, including:

• food testing and regulatory certification
• environmental analysis
• natural toxins.

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