Shucks, Bluff oysters on the way
The famous Bluff oysters will be on their way to market very soon with the fishing fleet heading out early today for the official start of the season.
There’s about 11 vessels in the fishing fleet connected to the oyster industry in the south, and the bulk of them were to leave about 3am today for the fishery in Foveaux Strait.
Early indications are the fishery is in good health. The weather forecast for the first three days of the season is also looking good.
Graeme Wright, of Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters, said early indications showed a number of juvenile oysters, which was a good sign for the overall health and future of the fishery. It takes an oyster six or seven years to grow to a size for commercial value.
A pre-season survey showed that fishermen could expect a good season, on a par with last year, Wright said.
The total allowable commercial catch is 14.95 million oysters but in past years the industry has set a standard of taking 7.5 million, and it’ll be the same again in 2021.
Despite the effects of Covid on hospitality around the country, Wright believed there would still be a strong demand overall.
Prices vary around the country depending on whether they were sold at fish n’ chip shops or highend restaurants.
Barnes’ will retail a dozen oysters for $27, which was on a par with last year’s price.
In 2017, Bonamia ostreae, a parasite which is deadly to flat oysters, was discovered in farmed oysters in Big Glory Bay.
As a result, all the farmed oysters in the bay were pulled up in an attempt to prevent the spread of the parasite to the wild oyster fisheries in the strait.
The oyster season runs until August.