Other Oysters - Description

Other edible oysters cultured in Australia are the flat (angasi) oyster, the milky oyster, and the blacklip oyster. The flat oyster occurs naturally along the entire southern Australian coast, including Tasmania, from about the Swan River in Western Australia to northern New South Wales. Flat oysters are currently farmed only in New South Wales (Nell 2002a). The milky oyster and the blacklip oyster are produced in north Queensland on oyster leases ranging from Hervey Bay to Mackay.

Farming Development

In New South Wales, trial production and marketing of flat oysters has increased and production was estimated at 9300 dozen, valued at $64 000 (farm gate), in 1999-2000 (table 4). The pilot farming of flat oysters has helped the existing sydney rock oyster industry to develop a new product line.
In 2002, seven oyster growers, located predominantly on the south coast, grew flat oysters.

In north Queensland, production of milky and blacklip oysters fell from 28 600 dozen in 2000-01 to 19 800 dozen in 2001-02. The value of production in 2001-02 was $56 700, and the average unit value of production was $2.86 a dozen.

Oyster production rotationally harvested from rocky foreshore areas is no longer reported as aquaculture production and is now reported as wild-caught fisheries production. The species harvested in this manner are the milky oyster (S. amasa) and the black-lip oyster (S. echinata). Production, primarily on designated areas between Hervey Bay and Mackay, is limited to selective harvesting, retention of broodstock and maintenance of areas.

( REF. Australian Aquaculture. Industry profiles for selected species)

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