Using taxonomy to strengthen aquaculture for climate change, ocean acidification and invasive species

ABSTRACT The Government aimed to quintuple aquaculture production within 16 years, targeting a NZD 3 billion industry. However, challenges—such as Climate Change, Ocean Acidification and threats from pests—pose hurdles that cannot be overcome by the aquaculture sector alone. Robust collaboration between scientists and the industry is imperative to address these threats and ensure success. Climate Change and Ocean Acidification disrupt the reproduction and settlement of crops, hindering shell growth and increasing the risks of pest attacks. The projected annual cost of mitigating pest species will exceed NZD 150 million. While this figure has been economically evaluated, it does not account for the additional intensification from Ocean Acidification and Climate Change. Each of these factors, alone and in combination, poses a risk of collapse for farms. Collaboration between the industry and scientists is essential for developing solutions and advancing aquaculture practices. Establishing a balanced partnership is crucial for advancing New Zealand's aquaculture sector, ensuring sustainability and resilience against challenges. Although this perspective is based on taxonomy, developmental biology and shellfish aquaculture, the challenges and insights are applicable across various sectors. Therefore, the obstacles and solutions described are relevant to the tasks and hurdles faced by scientists in other fields.