Mr Larnce Wichman, of Blenheim, ONZM, for services to the seafood industry and marine conservation
Larnce Wichman is a former Director of the New Zealand Rock Lobster Industry Council and current Chair of Te Korowhai/Kaikōura Marine Guardians. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Burkhart Fisheries in Ward, which has become one of the largest rock lobster exporters in the Southern Hemisphere. He was an elected representative for the Canterbury/Marlborough region of the New Zealand Rock Lobster Industry Council. He was Executive Officer of the Canterbury-Marlborough Rock Lobster Industry Association for 26 years, pioneering the use of modern technology to maintain healthy rock lobster stock levels. Mr Wichman was a founding member and Chair of Te Korowai o Te Tai o Marokura (Kaikōura Marine Guardians), an advisory body that advocates for marine management strategies incorporating Kaikōura’s customary coastal values.