Locally grown oysters will soon be exported to Asia as South Coast estuaries continue to go from strength-to-strength.
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Australia’s Oyster Coast, an industry association which includes oyster farmers from the eight major estuaries between the Shoalhaven and Wonboyn Lake, is aiming to begin exporting to China, Singapore and Indonesia within the next three months.
AOC executive officer Andrew Wales said the cooperative, which came together last year, has been so well-received that the NSW Government is looking at using a similar model in industries like dairy.
He said the group has two main objectives – to create oyster tourism, which it has done through the oyster trail, and increase exports.
“Within the next three months, we’re going to start exporting locally grown oysters to Indonesia, China and Singapore,” he said.
“Traditionally, oyster farmers haven’t been able to export because they don’t have the volume individually, or even as a whole river.
“As this collective group, they can do that, and it really lifts the profile of the industry in this part of the world.
“We know that this area grows the best oysters in the world – it’s getting that message out there that is the key, and the ‘Faces of Australia Coast’ photographic exhibition that has toured the east coast over the last six months is part of that.”
The export plans and photographic exhibition are just two of local oyster farming’s recent success stories.
Newly elected AOC president and Wonboyn oyster farmer Stacey Loftus was awarded the prestigious Nuffield Scholarship in September – an opportunity that will see her travel around the world to research marketing and branding in oyster production.
The announcement was backed up late last month by news that the South East Local Land Services Oyster Partnership has taken out the Public Sector Sustainability Award.
The award, which is part of the NSW Government’s Green Globe Awards, comes in recognition of a collaborative effort to develop and implement an environmental management system that improved sustainability and profitability within the oyster industry.
Pambula oyster farmer Sue McIntyre is an active member of the group, and said the award is a result of eight years of hard work.
“The South East Local Land Services Oyster Partnership is a group comprised of the LLS, oyster farmers and councils from up and down the South Coast, and a whole host of other organisations like NSW National Parks, State Forests and NSW Fisheries,” Ms McIntyre said.
“From an oyster farmer’s perspective, we’re the end users of the water that flows the southern NSW catchments, so we need to actively engage with the landholders and land managers so that we get good quality water coming through to grow healthy oysters.
“Without healthy water, you can’t grow healthy oysters, and the principle is the same for anyone who uses our waterways.
“Having a healthy and active oyster industry in your estuary means you’ve got those oysters there providing environmental benefits like filtering and cleaning the water for people who want to fish, swim, waterski or whatever they use the water for, and just for the natural environment as well.”