Waikawa Fishing dives into King Crab

AMY RUSS

From deep beneath New Zealand’s remote coastlines to a one-day culinary collaboration in Marlborough, Waikawa Fishing is charting an exciting new chapter – one shaped by innovation, family values, and a deep respect for the ocean.

Founded by brothers, Steve and Geoff Connor in 1981, the business is a Marlborough success story built over many years.

Headquartered in Blenheim and employing more than 30 people, Waikawa Fishing has long been known as a strong, forward-thinking presence in the local seafood industry. At its heart, however, the operation remains firmly family oriented. That ethos has carried into the company’s newest venture: harvesting New Zealand’s own species of king crab from the depths of the ocean.

“The main species we are targeting is the New Zealand King Crab,” Ben Austen explains. “They’re lithodes (a genus of king crabs) and endemic to New Zealand. They live in extremely deep waters – sometimes more than 6500 feet below the surface – these crabs thrive in the cold, stable environment created where New Zealand’s latitude nears the Subantarctic Convergence Zone, one of the most nutrient-rich marine environments in the world. The result is a premium seafood product known for its firm texture and clean, sweet flavour.”

Innovation
Developing the fishery has required significant innovation says Amber Connor. Her cousin David, an engineer within the family business, played a key role in developing specialist live-holding systems capable of holding deep sea crab.

“The industry is tightly regulated and because this catch is fairly new, we’re leading the fleet with a focus on sustainable harvesting and thoughtful handling,” says Amber.

Sustainability sits at the core of Waikawa Fishing’s philosophy. She describes the operation as a “legacy fishery” guided by the principle of kaitiakitanga – guardianship of the ocean.

“There’s more in this than just us. We guard the sea like we guard our family. We want to create something that provides generational security, but we’re also very conscious of the impact on marine life and birdlife. We’re just the guardians for now and the next generation will take it forward in their own way.”

It’s a philosophy reflected in the branding for the new product: Shaped by the Deep.

“This part of the operation has only been going for around three years, so it’s still very new,” Ben says. “But the feedback has been amazing. We’ve introduced it to the global market, and the response has been incredibly positive.”

Closer to home, locals will soon have a chance to try it for themselves. On 21 March, Waikawa Fishing will team up with another local favourite, Burleigh’s Gourmet Pies, for a special collaboration showcasing the prized king crab in a limited-edition pie – bringing a taste of the deep ocean to the region that helped shape the family business.