Wide Interest In Mud Oyster

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 12

Wide Interest In Mud Oyster

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. A mud oyster found in Wellington Harbour may be used for breeding purposes overseas, said Professor L. R. Richardson today. The department of zoology of Victoria University has had inquiries about the oyster from North America and Europe. The oyster’s peculiar breeding habits had only become known in the last six months, said Professor Richardson. They indicated that it might be a highly successful

oyster for cultivation in areas where other oysters were unsuccessful.

During toe last two years Miss P. Hollis, of the department of zoology of the Victoria University, had studied the oyster as known in Wellington harbour. Late last month toe department was asked to supply the oyster to toe Department ot Fish and Game in California. Five dozen sent" by air arrived in excellent condition. and were being planted out experimentally Tffte Hague was seeking information on toe oyster, too. It planned to obtain a supply for study and breeding. The Wellington oyster successfully survived in strong currents which often prevented the cultivation of

other ’oysters, said Professor Richardson. The oyster liberated its spawn in a shorter period of time than other oysters which took two to three weeks, dependin’ on the location. The spawn was free swimming and settled down as a small oyster in or two days at higher temperatures. The oyster industry on the west coast of North America with its thousands of miles of inland waters with strong currents obtained yearlings—small oysters—from Japan. The New Zealand oyster transplanted to their waters should survive and flourish ?nd reproduce from their own cultivation, said Professor Richardson.