Preparations under way for Bluff oyster season

Friday, 28 February 2020

Daphne Kay skipper Ricky Ryan, of Bluff, checks the fishing boat's equipment before his crew start the oyster season at midnight on March 1.

The docks are bustling with activity as fishermen get ready for the opening of the 2020 oyster season on Sunday.

Daphne Kay skipper Ricky Ryan was readying the boat and heading out for a test run on Friday afternoon.

He was not sure what time the Daphne Kay would leave Bluff once the clock hit midnight and the season began.

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Ryan has been fishing for 34 years and says conditions might be windy on Sunday morning.

The Daphne Kay supplies oysters to Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters and Ngai Tahu.

Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters manager Graeme Wright said early indications showed a healthy stock of oysters, with positive signs for the coming years as well.

'Visually, there is very little bonamia [ostreae], but that is subject to confirmatory tests,' Wright said.

Bonamia ostreae kills oysters, but is harmless to humans.

There were lots of new little oysters on the beds, Wright said.

As oysters took at least six years to reach a catchable size, an abundance new oysters boded well for seasons to come.

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 early season survey results.

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

Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters return any oyster smaller than 62 millimetres, above the legal minimum 58mm diameter.

The Bluff Oyster and Food Festival is on May 23, although tickets have already sold out.

The oyster fishing season ends on August 31.