Investing in Blue Foods 2026

CASE STUDY 8 New Zealand – Moana Nui cluster drives inclusive blue economy growth72 Context New Zealand sought to build an inclusive and regenerative blue economy while enhancing Māori participation. Actions –In 2022, the Moana Nui Blue Economy Cluster was launched in Nelson-Tasman as a public-private innovation platform. It expanded from nine to 28 partners in one year, including Māori enterprises, seafood firms and universities. –Local government supported the cluster through coordinated infrastructure and skills programmes. –The cluster focused on regenerative aquaculture, conservation technology and youth workforce development. –National inclusion policies embedded Māori leadership in aquaculture and fisheries management. Impacts –Around 400 marine-related businesses now collaborate through the cluster. –Māori control about 50% of the national fishing quota, while new ventures win regenerative aquaculture and by-products have emerged. –The initiative is helping build a skilled maritime workforce and strengthen community ownership. Success depends on coordinating actions across five priority dimensions At a global level, success in scaling-up blue foods has largely depended on coordinating actions across five priority dimensions. These offer lessons for how transformation can be achieved in Africa: 1. Strategic policy commitment and prioritization: Clear national strategies are essential to position blue foods as more than subsistence-level activities. 2. Targeted capital to de-risk early investment: Scaling-up requires upfront public and blended investment to lower the barriers to entry for producers and service providers. 3. Regulatory clarity and streamlined implementation: Rapid adoption is enabled by clear licencing rules, environmental safeguards and consistent standards that give confidence to investors and producers. 4. Skills development and business readiness support: Training programmes are essential not only to improve farm productivity, but also to prepare farmers and entrepreneurs to operate commercially. 5. Structured platforms for incubation and ecosystem coordination: Driving scale requires spaces to connect actors, incubate early-stage solutions and accelerate adoption.Collaboration between government, business, development partners and communities is critical to deliver blue foods at scale In addition to these lessons, delivering blue foods at scale in Africa will require collaboration across government, private sector, development partners and local communities – their distinct roles are outlined below. This collaboration needs to happen not within silos but around common objectives. Global examples show that real progress in blue foods depends on shared objectives that align policy, investment, innovation and inclusion. Coordinated multi-stakeholder action turns fragmented initiatives into ecosystems capable of scale. Equally critical is funder coordination – from foundations and multilaterals to commercial financiers – to ensure that governments have the tools, capacity and finance needed for sustainable growth across policy, infrastructure, skills and markets. 1 Government: creating supportive policies that guide growth –Governments can create the foundation for blue food development through clear regulation, supportive licencing and environmental safeguards that balance productivity with sustainability. Investing in Blue Foods: Innovation and Partnerships for Impact 23