THE OYSTER SEASON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27510, 3 October 1950, Page 4

THE OYSTER SEASON

Smaller Catch Than Usual EFFECT OF BAD WEATHER The 1950 oyster season closed at Bluff on September 30 alter being open ■ ' since February 14. The season was ' one of the worst for many years because of bad weather and catches were considerably smaller than last season. Stormy seas in the Foveaux Strait area frequently confined oyster -“ boats to port for several days on end. During June the boats were unable to put to sea for 16 consecutive days. Although the season has been such a bad one, there was no complaint regarding the quality of the oysters. , If the boats had been able to go out « every day, or on as many days as in ' £ good season, the catches would have ieen up to those of the best years. The demand in Otago and Southland has been extremely heavy during the - year and this has tended to keep the s,; biggest part of the catch in the south.yern part of the South Island. Con- ; - signments to other centres in New Zealand have been smaller than in past years. The oysters which were sent to the North were consigned in large tins which enabled them to be delivered in fresh condition. No export of oysters is allowed because the demand cannot be satisfied in the Dominion. Most of the oysters come from the beds near Ruapuke Island, but towards the end of a good season the boats travel almost to Stewart Island as the supplies at the other beds become low. At times precautions have to be taken to ensure that enough oysters remain at the end of one season to maintain the necessary breeding. , “ Although the oyster is essentially a "'delicacy, it has a high nutritional value. A drink which has become -c.popular in Britain and New Zealand k-'is oyster stout, which is made by mixing 100 gallons of stout with one gallon v 'of oyster concentrate.