Fishers and farmers are divided over the future of flat oyster farming in New Zealand, but farmers believe they can farm the taonga without risking wild fisheries.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working with industry stakeholders to decide the future of farming as the spread of the parasite infection Bonamia ostreae through farms is putting wild fisheries at risk.
The risk was driven home when Biosecurity New Zealand thought it had detected the infection in the iconic Foveaux Strait fishery – home of the Bluff Oyster – in March 2021, but the detection was later found to be a human error.
After almost three months of engagement, MPI is reporting that most flat oyster farmers believe they could farm safely with good farming practices and biosecurity management; but most flat oyster fishers objected to farming in New Zealand.
READ MORE:
* ‘Human error’ incorrectly detected oyster parasite Bonamia ostreae in Foveaux Strait
* Report: Farming in Big Glory Bay poses unacceptable risk to Bluff oysters in Foveaux Strait
* Is New Zealand armed for future biosecurity threats?
* Wild oyster infected with Bonamia ostraeae found in Big Glory Bay
“People who have interests in both farming and fishing advocated for a cautious return to farming supported by further research on the parasite, resilient stock, and risk management, to protect the wild populations,” a report released Thursday says.
Farmers and fishers support the continued use of Controlled Area Notices where legal controls are used to stop movement around infected sites, the engagement report says.
However, farmers wanted a commercial policy to be developed and fishers wanted the CANs to be used in conjunction with moratoriums on flat oyster farming, more research and surveillance.
All stakeholders were in support of protecting the uninfected wild oyster populations, but some said Biosecurity New Zealand should be looking to prevent the spread rather than just containing it.
MPI will begin consulting on changes to an enhanced Bonamia CAN system later in the year and Biosecurity New Zealand will begin embedding a National Marine Biosecurity Framework into existing work programmes.
The latest Bonamia ostreae surveillance testing, completed in June, only found new infections in a known infected site in Big Glory Bay.
Bonamia infections have been found in the taonga flat oyster species in the Marlborough Sounds and Big Glory Bay in Rakiura (Stewart Island) since 2015.
While not a food safety issue, Bonamia infections kill off flat oysters.
Initial management has included the use of CANs, a two-year management programme, and the establishment of a Bonamia Programme Governance Group.
A number of infected farms were removed from Big Glory Bay in 2017 in an effort to protect the Foveaux Strait fishery.
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