Wild Bluff oysters coming to the dinner plate … eventually

Thursday, 28 February 2019

Strong westerly winds have prevented any wild Bluff oysters being harvested on the first day of the season for boats associated with the Ngāi Tahu Seafood and Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters companies.

Some boats went out into Foveaux Strait but it was too rough to get any oysters and they came back in, spokesmen for the companies said.

The earliest they would have Bluff oysters available for public consumption would be Monday, weather permitting.

Other companies with oyster boats could not be immediately contacted on Friday.

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Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters manager Graeme Wright said it was likely its boats would go out during the weekend.

The season began at 12.01am Friday.

The allure of the Bluff oyster had not diminished, with Wright saying he had received many phone calls in recent days from people eager to taste the first batch of the season.

He expected the oysters to be as good or better than last season.

The quality last season 'wasn't great'.

'There was a lot of spawning going on last year and they weren't in great condition.'

The industry can take up to 14.95 million oysters from Foveaux Strait per season but it has given itself an initial limit of 7.5 million this season. That number may increase subject to survey results. 

In recent seasons, in a bid to manage the fishery, the industry had set itself a limit of 10 million.

Wright said early evidence suggested there was very little or no Bonamia disease this season but formal testing results were not yet through. 

Bonamia kills oysters. 

The Bluff oyster season ends officially ends on August 31, or if the quota is reached before then.