Oyster farmers face uncertain future as disease plagues Port Stephens

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's oyster industry could be on the brink of collapse, as a deadly disease forces farmers to destroy millions of dollars worth of produce.

QX, short for Queensland Unknown, doesn't affect humans, but it is fatal for Sydney rock oysters.

It's caused by the Marteilia sydneyi protozoa, which reproduces in the oysters, restricting their growth and killing them.

XL Oysters at Lemon Tree Passage has lost $500,000 worth of juvenile stock, which has had to be dumped.

Director Don Burgoyne says some of the affected farmers have been in the industry for five generations, and it's painful to see their livelihoods in crisis.

"Eight farmers of the 41 in Port Stephens are really looking to just walk away," he said.

"Everything has been wiped out as such. They have no crop. They can't afford to get new stock."

"80 percent dead, and the ones that are dead don't thrive either. It's quite across the board, and this has happened very quickly, which is the big surprise."

It's estimated, Port Stephens contributes around $8.5 million to the NSW oyster industry each year.

QX was only detected in the Port Stephens estuary in August last year - it's believed flooding has created stressful conditions for the oysters, heightening their risk of the disease.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington has met with local farmers to discuss the impact of the disease and the future moving forward for the industry.

She says it's a heartbreaking situation.

"The more I hear, the worse it gets," she said.

"It costs to walk away from an oyster farm and it's going to cost them to stay in it. And to stay in it is a risk as well. There are some very difficult decisions being made all around the place."

There are calls for the Agriculture Minister and the State Government to get involved and lend a lifeline to the industry.

It's understood, a switch to disease-resistant or alternative species of oysters is possible, but is highly capital-intensive.

While the long-term fix could be on the horizon, farmers are hoping the Government could step in to help alleviate ongoing costs such as leasing fees for the use of crown land, and free up cash to be used on making the transition.

"We need stock that we can grow," Mr Burgoyne said.

"There is resistant stock that is available, but it's only coming on slowly and there's a lag time that you have to get through.

"Oysters take two-and-a-half years to grow, at best, and so you have to get through that hollow of no income and a lot of outgoings."

Image credit: Port Stephens MP Kate Washington.

Price of Oysters Set to Soar for Hunter Residents

BY KAYNE STEPHENS

The price of oysters could soon soar, with Hunter oyster farmers concerned about the impact of recent rain and flooding.

The industry has faced restaurant closures, bushfires, and floods. 

A statewide shortage is being forecast after a reported $17 million in lost stock and equipment damage after recent floods.

Many farmers are yet to fully assess the damage.

Now farmers are concerned an inundation of freshwater rainfall will affect how oysters grow and mature.

It takes up to three years for oysters to be ready for sale.

Karuah oyster farmer Dean Cole says prices may increase in that time.

"It basically goes on supply and demand. I definitely think there will be an increase over the next couple of year, or maybe even sooner," he said.

Mr Cole says because the oysters take so long to mature ready for sale, there isn't yet a clear picture of supply.

"Here locally, we still have our oysters for sale but it won't show its true effects for a couple of years based on who's lost what and if we can actually get stock to replace the one's we've lost," he said.

The biggest concern for Hunter farmers is the inundation of fresh water. 

Oysters grow in salt water, a process which can be disturbed by severe rainfall. Dean Cole said juvenile oysters are far less resilient to the elements.

"A lot of them have died for different people," he said.

"A lot of them have washed out to sea in other estuaries, in Karuah here they're dying from the freshwater but up north it's more so the floodwater taking all the oysters and infrastructure with it," Mr Cole said.

A shortage could affect the availability of fresh local oysters in restaurants and shops in the state, leading to more stock being transported from other regions and adding to cost.