Shucks, Bluff oysters are on their way

The famous Bluff oysters will be on their way to market very soon with the fishing fleet heading out today for the official start of the season.

Early indications are the fishery is in good health.

The weather forecast for the first three days of the season is looking good for fishermen as they head out to harvest the delicacy.

Graeme Wright, of Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters, said that early indications of the fishery showed that there were 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 par with last year, Wright said.

The total allowable commercial catch of the fishery 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 this year.

This will be subject to a review of the fishery in late March and April when all tests should have been completed.

Wright, who predominantly sells oysters with a focus in Southland and Otago, said he was unsure what impact Covid-19 might have on demand for the Bluff oysters.

However, he believed there would still be a strong demand overall for the oysters once they started coming in.

Prices of the oysters vary around the country depending on whether they were sold at fish n’ chip shops or high-end restaurants.

Barnes’ will retail a dozen oysters for $27, which was on par with 2020.

The oyster season runs from today to August.

The opening weekend of the America’s Cup heads a list of major events cancelled or postponed in response to the Covid-19 alert level changes.

The start of the America’s Cup regatta has been delayed four days until at least March 10.

The clash between Team New Zealand and Italy’s Luna Rossa should have started in Auckland this coming Saturday.

America’s Cup Event (ACE) said it wanted to give certainty, while it continued to work with the authorities.

‘‘ACE will apply for an exemption to race under level 3 restrictions so as to keep as many options open as possible. However, racing will not occur before at least Wednesday 10th March,’’ chairwoman Tina Symmans said.

The first major event to fall was one of Auckland’s biggest public participation events – the annual Round the Bays run.

Meanwhile, the upcoming SOL3 MIO shows in New Plymouth, Whanganui, Wellington, Palmerston North and Hamilton would be postponed until a later date. Crowded House said their Hamilton and Napier concerts would also be rescheduled for later this month.

Organisers of Christchurch’s Armageddon Expo this weekend said the event would not be able to go ahead due to the level changes.

They hoped to reschedule the event, but it would not happen this month or next.