We take a look back at previous winners and nominees of the Seafood Sustainability Awards. Wellington based seafood company Awatoru (Three Rivers) was recognised in the 2020 awards for its market innovation.
Awatoru (Three Rivers) is an artisan fishing and wild food supply company that takes pride in supplying small-scale, sustainably-sourced seafood to quality restaurants and eateries.
Awatoru caught the attention of judges at the inaugural Seafood Sustainability Awards in 2020. A finalist in the Market Innovation and Value-Added award category, the Kapiti Coast-based business, run by Scott and Maaike McNeil, directly supply some of New Zealand’s leading restaurants, with fish sustainably caught on their own small boat.
“We are really grateful to have been nominated last time and be among all those big companies,” says Scott.
“I’m a terrible cook but I love feeding people. I love catching and supplying and wanted to do it commercially. I knew that once I started this, I would do it forever.
“We pick the species, like tuna and kahawai, allowing us to be totally independent of large fishing companies, and keep the fish as pristine and perfect as we can.”
That transparent, personal approach appeals to top restaurants and younger chefs keen for a closer working relationship with their suppliers.
“People are more aware of sustainable fish now and younger chefs are more likely to be experimental and try different species. At one point, we couldn’t give kahawai away, but its appeal grew over time.”
Awatoru have now expanded to serve restaurants across New Zealand but continue to have a loyal client base in the Wellington region and work closely with chefs to supply a carefully curated list of seafood such as albacore tuna, yellowbelly lounder, and seaweed.
“Following COVID, we had a good season and restaurants bounced back, especially owner operators who want to deal directly with fishers.
We have to maximise what we get in terms of return for catch. We’ve made alterations like with a roof on our boat and we are always thinking of other species that are easy to get a quota on.”
He says the hard work to get to this point has been worth it.
“We’re in this for the long haul.”
The Seafood Sustainability Awards 2023 will be launching soon. Look out for further updates on our website: mpi.govt.nz seafood-awards.
