Oyster farmer alleges cover-up over parasite

• Published date: 19 March 2022
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)

The Ministry for Primary Industries made the decision to remove all farmed oysters from the bay in 2017, after Bonamia ostreae was detected on oyster farms in the area

The invasive parasite kills oysters.

Since then, the ministry has been carrying out monitoring testing on wild oysters from the bay, and a technical advisory group and the Bonamia programme advisory group stated returning to flat oyster farming in Big Glory Bay would pose an unacceptable risk to the Bluff oyster fishery.

However, oyster farmer Richard Langdon was frustrated, and believed the ministry was not being truthful.

He believed it was ‘‘targeting’’ independent marine farmers and wanted to put an end to flat oyster farming on Stewart Island, he said.

‘‘We don’t want to be forced out from the last [flat] oyster farm in New Zealand. If it closes, you will never get a permit for another one — ever.

‘‘We tried to but were never part of their consultations. The big quota owners from Bluff took over the industry and excluded everybody else.’’

Since 2017, Mr Langdon had farmed in Horseshoe Bay, doing his own research and investing more than $500,000.

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