Bachelor of Aquaculture and Marine Conservation

This programme will provide you with specialist knowledge, as well as technical and practical skills relating to aquaculture and marine conservation.

At NMIT, we bring together marine conservation and aquaculture to start addressing solutions to the threats to many of our planet's marine and freshwater environments. These threats have come from overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, climate change and more. Education about marine conservation is critical to start addressing these global and local issues.

Students are encouraged to think further and be taught about tropical marine environments. All this knowledge is combined to create a greater understanding of ecology and environmental impacts to further progress momentum into the marine conservation and sustainable aquaculture space.

The programme was designed with industry to provide graduates with practical aquatic ecology and marine conservation skills and knowledge. You can also specialise in aquaculture, marine conservation, aquaculture industry management or a combination that best suits your career aspirations and interests. You will also gain communication and operations management skills so you can contribute to the aquaculture industry, locally, nationally or internationally.

If you are already in the industry in New Zealand and looking to get a qualification, talk to us about how we can make that work for you to study alongside your employment.

A focus on sustainability and real-world experiences

Off-site practical and workplace components (work-based training) are designed to provide you with practical experience and involve placement in an aquaculture industry work environment. This is actively supervised by competent and experienced workers and directed towards your specific educational goals and skills training.

The Bachelor of Aquaculture and Marine Conservation programme includes two compulsory Industry Practice courses, which include industry placements, one at Level 5 and one at Level 6. There is also an industry placement in the Applied Industry Project course at Level 7. 

The programmes strongly focus on sustainability and marine conservation, recognising the ecological threats of overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change on the ocean and freshwater environments.

At NMIT, you will learn how to apply sustainable aquaculture principles that help to conserve the marine environment and address some of the major issues facing our planet.

It's the best place to study Aquaculture

You will be learning in the region where most New Zealand aquaculture produce is grown. It is one of the leading producers of farmed GreenshellTM Mussels, King Salmon and Pacific Oysters worldwide.

The Nelson area is also a major hub of research in this field. The programme brings together the knowledge and expertise of Nelson and Marlborough aquaculture industry members as well as the Nelson scientific community to provide you with an informative and dynamic learning environment.

Learn about roles, pathways, and industry opportunities in New Zealand Explore Aquaculture Careers

Career opportunities and pathways

On completion of your degree, you can get employment in Aquaculture in business management, production management or policy management. You could also become a research and development technician, local government environmental officer, marine ranger, Ministry of Primary Industries Fisheries inspector or observer, or work as a public aquarium curator. You can also go on to complete your Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture.