Hope New Zealand's aquaculture sector could soon be a three-billion dollar industry

Northland's new land-based kingfish farm - Haku - is set to play a major role in achieving that.

Based at Bream Bay's Ruakaka, it's the only facility of its type in the country, and already produces 250 tonnes a year.

There's belief it could become a bigger sector than salmon in less than a decade.

NIWA Aquaculture Chief Scientist, Andrew Forsythe says it's been decades in the making.