Steady oyster sales

Press, 23 July 1986, Page 11

Steady oyster sales

Oysters in Christchurch fish shops sold steadily yesterday with, the prospect of heavy demand on Friday after the announcement of an early finish to the Bluff oyster season. The Ministry of Fisheries announced yesterday that the season would end on Friday, five weeks before the normal closing. The bonamia parasite has killed big numbers of oysters in Foveaux Strait and the Ministry fears further fishing could threaten over-all stocks. Most shops approached by “The Press” yesterday reported steady sales but expected a rush towards the end of the week. Two big oyster sup-

pliers reported reasonable stocks round Christchurch. The managing director of South Island Fisheries, Ltd, Mr Bernard Walker, said that there was no shortage at present but when hotels and restaurants started bulk-buying supplies would soon run short. “During these last few days anyone who wants oysters had better be in,” he said. Many shops had not maintained big stocks during the season because of the poor quality of some oysters and customer resistance to the price, said. Mr Walker. Any move that would protect oyster stocks in

the long term was welcome, he said. A spokesman for Independent Fisheries, Ltd, said supplies in shops were “reasonable.” The Ministry’s fisheries director, Dr Robin Allen, said stocks would be seriously depleted without the early closing. The Bluff oyster fleet had been fishing in the eastern part of Foveaux Strait after the discovery of the parasite that had killed about 50 per cent of oysters in the western part.

Oyster numbers in the east could have been badly affected if the season had not been closed • earlier, he said.