Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley says a new aquaculture law will help put the industry on the same footing as other coastal activities.
The legislation passed by Parliament under urgency on Thursday removes the requirement for Aquaculture Management Areas to be established before they can get resource consent.
Mr Heatley says this will also enable local councils to better plan for aquaculture expansion.
The law also amends regional plans in Tasman and Waikato specifically to allow for applications to farm a wider range of species.
It also provides for the process under which Maori can claim 20% of any new aquaculture space, or the cash equivalent, as part of the historic fisheries settlement with the Crown.
