Oyster catch drops

Press, 20 August 1981, Page 4

Oyster catch drops

PA Invercargill Foveaux Strait oyster stocks are dropping and catch rates this season have declined markedly. The Bluff oyster fleet of 23 boats was only: 5088 sacks away from filling its over-all quota of 115,000 sacks on August 14, but v Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Statistics show that the vessels have to spend more time dredging. Four boats ihave filled their limit of 5000 sacks already, while, others are fishing short days and weeks to string out their quota to the end of the month, when the season ends.

The Ministry’s fisheries management officer in Invercargill, Mr Ray Voller, said yesterday that the most significant aspect of this year’s oyster season, worth about $l3 million in retail value' was. the big drop in the catch. All statistics would be examined. along with any problems or trends which had arisen during the season, by a' committee of Ministry fisheries people after the season ended, Mr Voller said. “Its findings are usually released about the end of next month. I? think we are going to have to look at

other management strategies for the future.” Mr Voller said the season had pointed up other problems as well as the decreasing catch rate, but he could not discuss these. The catch rate, or the number of sacks taken for each hour dredging, did not include the hours the boats spent going from Bluff to the oyster beds, Mr Voller said. "This year the catch rate has dropped considerably to about 13 sacks an hour,” he said. ' ■? “Last year it was about 16. The highest it has ever been was in 1978 at 17.2.”