Bluff oysters are on their way ... very soon
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 most planned to leave for the Foveaux Strait fishery about 3am.
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 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.
Official testing of samples has yet to be completed, but overall the oysters were looking good.
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 in 2021.
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 focuses on sales in Southland and Otago, said he was unsure what impact Covid-19 might have on demand for the Bluff delicacy.
The hospitality industry throughout the country has had a tough time of it, and some restaurants are on hiatus or have closed due to loss of trade caused by Covid-19.
However, Wright believed there would still be a strong demand overall for the oysters once they started coming in from today.
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.