Latest news with #BarnesWildBluffOysters
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Aw shucks: Tickets obstacle overcome
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Aw shucks: Obstacles overcome to attend festival
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
25-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Obstacles overcome to attend festival
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Oyster season ‘slightly behind'
Shuckers at Barnes Wild Bluff Oyster shuckers have had a slow few weeks. PHOTO: ODT FILES Bouts of bad weather and poor-quality shellfish mean this year's oyster season has some catching up to do, a long-term industry supplier says. Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters manager Graeme Wright said every wild fishery experienced up and downs, but so far, 2025 had been a difficult season. "Overall the industry is probably slightly behind — the bulk of that's due to weather." The industry, with the help of the Ministry of Fisheries, undertook a survey before the season started to assess sustainability and disease status. Foveaux Strait oysters were closely monitored for signs of the Bonamia exitiosa parasite which caused high mortality in the wild fishery beds. The strain was different from the B. ostreae strain found at Big Glory Bay about 2017. "There's no other fishery in New Zealand that [surveys] happen like that. "So it's a very well-monitored and managed fishery. In the past, the industry had been closed for consecutive years to recover from a disease which killed about 92% of the oyster population. He expected the latest survey would reveal an increase in the prevalence of B. exitiosa again. He believed fast-moving water through the strait provided a unique environment which might prevent many diseases from becoming established. "The guys are seeing some mortality out there" but that was not unusual. While the disease's presence was more cyclical other factors such as food supply could also impact the shellfish's quality and quantity. "It almost appears like there's just not a lot of food around for the oysters. "But we don't really understand what drives those sorts of process. "But the industry certainly acknowledges that the quality is not good and we're seeing catch rates slip back a little bit." "On the positive side, we're seeing millions and millions of little baby oysters, so there's been pretty good recruitment." The season normally runs from March to the end of August each year and depending on the harvest level, boats can finish early — some Bluff boats have almost filled their 2025 quota. — Toni McDonald
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
Bad weather and poor quality put brakes on oyster catch
Shuckers at Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters shuckers have had a slow few weeks. Photo: APL Files Bouts of bad weather and poor quality shellfish mean this year's oyster season has some catching up to do, says a long-term industry supplier. Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters manager Graeme Wright said every wild fishery experienced up and downs, but so far, 2025 had been a difficult season. "Overall the industry is probably slightly behind — the bulk of that's due to weather." The industry, with the help of the Ministry of Fisheries, undertook a survey before the season started to assess sustainability and disease status. Foveaux Strait oysters were closely monitored for signs of Bonamia exitosa which caused high mortality in the wild fishery beds. The exitosa strain was different from the Bonamia ostreae strain found at Big Glory Bay about 2017. "There's no other fishery in New Zealand that (surveys) happen like that. So it's a very well-monitored and managed fishery. In the past, the industry had been closed for consecutive years to recover from a disease which killed about 92% of the oyster population." He expected the latest survey would reveal an increase in the prevalence of Bonamia (exitosa) again. He believed fast moving water through the strait provided a unique environment which might prevent many diseases from becoming established. "The guys are seeing some mortality out there, but that's not unnormal." While the disease's presence was more cyclical other factors such as food supply could also impact the shellfish's quality and quantity. "It almost appears like there's just not a lot of food around for the oysters. "But we don't really understand what drives those sorts of process. But the industry certainly acknowledges that the quality is not good and we're seeing catch rates slip back a little bit." "On the positive side, we're seeing millions and millions of little baby oysters, so there's been pretty good recruitment." The season normally runs from March to the end of August each year and depending on the harvest level, boats can finish early — some Bluff boats have almost filled their 2025 quota.
