Nelson firm seeks Sounds oyster trials

Press, 7 September 1989, Page 24

Nelson firm seeks Sounds oyster trials

PA Nelson A Nelson aquaculture company has applied for an experimental permit to assess the potential of Pacific oyster farming in the Marlborough Sounds. Kiwi Marine Farms, Ltd, a company associated with Kiwi Mussels, wants to set up growing trials in inter-tidal and sub-tidal areas in various parts of the Sounds.

If approved by the fisheries arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, the farms will be the first Pacific oyster operations in the South Island.

Company development manager, Mr Tim Edwards, said the project was strictly experimental to enable research to be done on the viability of the farming venture over the next 15 months.

Mr Edwards, a marine biologist, said Pacific oysters would initially be grown through the rack culture method used in the successful Northland industry. Oysters will be placed on trays or bags on top of racks which are exposed at low tide.

The company will also try a hanging culture method — cultivating Pacific oysters on long lines similar to those used for mussel farming.

Mr Edwards said hanging culture was a more appropriate farming method than rack culture in the Marlborough Sounds because of the limited number of inter-tidal areas.

He said Pacific oyster farming was “typically labour intensive” and had more jobs per hectare than mussel farming. But the company did not want to “hype up” the benefits of oyster farming because it was still experimental in Marlborough.

“We are hoping to carry out the research in some of the potentiallysuitable areas and we obviously don’t want to conflict with conservation, wildlife and other traditional values in the area.”

Wild Pacific oyster stock was established in the Nelson-Marlborough region in the late 1970 s and some extensive populations had developed over the last 10 years. The company will collect wild spat for the farming. A supply of spat may also be sought from Northland. Mr Edwards said there were potential biological problems which had to be investigated before full-scale oyster farming took place.

A parasitic mudworm had been discovered in some areas in Northland sites unsuitable for oyster farming. “No one, to our knowledge, has looked for it all in the Marlborough Sounds.” Growing conditions and growth and mortality rates also had to be determined.

If the permits are approved, the company hopes to set up the trial areas next month. Permits have been applied for areas in Wairangi Bay in Croisilles Harbour, Waitaria Bay in the Kenepuru Sound and parts of the Mahau Sound.

The oyster experiment is a major thrust by Kiwi Marine Farms to diversify its aquaculture interests. Kiwi Mussels — the parent company — was a pioneer of the mussel processing industry through its Kiwi Clam product. It now operates two factories at Havelock and Rai Valley.

The managing director, Mr John Turner, said aquaculture had enormous export potential