Hard work and a determination to build a strong and sustainable industry means oyster growers in Port Stephens and the Mid North Coast are looking forward to bumper sales for their production this summer.
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Their current position is a complete turn around to where the industry was in the late 1990s when the future looked bleak following environmental contamination from effluent and cases of hepatitis A. in people who had consumed the local oysters.
Those dark days have made way to a bright future thanks to a combined effort from industry, government and the community to ensure the oysters produced are the best possible.
Karuah based grower Dean Cole, Cole Bros Oysters said the fortunate position he and his fellow growers now find themselves in is due to everyone involved working together to solve problems with pollution and find efficient methods to grow oysters.
“Oyster growing 15 to 20 years ago was a struggle street industry but today its a different place to be and that is a good thing for the growers and the consumers,” he said.
Problems in other oyster growing regions including the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) in Tasmania (now in quarantine) which has had a flow-on impact on the South Australian oyster industry also mean supply will be tighter than usual this festive season.
The Cole family produce 80,000 to 100,000 dozen oysters/year with 80 per cent of that production sold through their own retail outlet.
Mr Cole reckons farmgate returns are up 20 per cent due to current demand.
“In this region we produce Sydney Rock Oysters and they are very popular with consumers in fact Port Stephens is renowned for its quality oysters,” he said.
“The industry’s success in controlling environmental issues means we have world class food standards for our product and we can now do direct harvest sales.
“Today we are a productive, efficient and sustainable industry and it’s a rarity to have any threats from effluent contamination.”
Mr Cole praised the work of government departments including Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) who played a big role in bringing all the growers together for ‘shed’ days where they could discuss best practice management and ideas. Those days are been really important for all the growers, he said.
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