Oyster Catch Lowest For Several Years

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29897, 10 August 1962, Page 7

Oyster Catch Lowest For Several Years

'The Press" Special Service

INVERCARGILL. Aug 9. One of the most unsuccessful oyster seasons on record will close on September 30. With only seven weeks of oystering left it is certain that the total catch will be substantially down on last year, and little more than half of the record catch of 125.090 sacks taken in 1960 The quality of the oysters. <Oo. has left much to be desired. The earlier part of the season was marked more by the number of disputes which occupied the time of all sections of the industry than anything else. At the end of last month the catch totalled a meagre 51.244 sacks, compared with 73.511 sacks for the corresponding period last year and 89.215 sacks in 1960 The oystermen’s dispute at the start of the season re-

suited in February's catch being nil. Last year, 7184 sacks were taken in February and 11,222 in 1960. Since then toe monthly catch has been down by an average of about 5000 sacks on last year. The only month in which an increase was recorded was June, when 10,433 sacks were taken compared with 7168 last year. A comparison of monthly catches <in sacks) over the last three years. 1960, 1961 and 1962 figures, is: Februarv: 11,222, 7184, nil: March, 21.350. 15,734. 8815: April: 16 650. 14,283 7832; May: 16.611. 13.738, 13.582; June: 10.710, 7168. 10 433: Julv: 12.672. 15.404. 10 582. Total (to July): 89.215, 73.511, 51,244.