Minister for outdoor recreation Steve Dimopoulos has marked the positive results from the first three years of the $250,000 trial in the Gippsland Lakes aimed at assessing how well Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) grow in the region.
The trial has focused on the viability, growth rates, eating quality and food safety of Sydney rock oysters, which are native to Gippsland, at four sites around Flannagans and Rigbys Islands, west of Lakes Entrance.
“This trial is laying the groundwork for local jobs, skills and opportunities, leading to long-term benefits for the region – and we’re backing it every step of the way because we’re on your side,” said Dimopoulos.
“There’s nothing better than fresh, local seafood – and it’s exciting to think that Victorians could soon enjoy oysters grown right here in the Gippsland Lakes.”
Oysters produced in the Gippsland Lakes trial so far are growing at similar rates to those at established oyster farms in the estuaries of southern New South Wales at Merimbula and Pambula.
The $250,000 trial is part of the state government’s $96 million program to support aquaculture, fishing, boating and piers. It has recently been boosted by a $400,000 investment from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, on behalf of the Australian government, to support its expansion.
The trial is a partnership between the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) and the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA). GLaWAC and the VFA are expanding the trial this month through the addition of 60,000 oysters, which will be placed at two existing sites and three new ones nearby, all in water less than one metre deep.
The expansion will help determine the commercial viability of the project and measure oyster growth under higher stocking densities, typical of commercial operations.
A native oyster industry in the Gippsland Lakes would create jobs for Gunaikurnai, support regional tourism and supply fresh, local and sustainable seafood. Victorian-grown Sydney rock oysters could once again be on the menu for seafood lovers, benefiting the region’s economy.
Oyster aquaculture in other states is worth over $100 million, and a successful trial could bring similar opportunities for Gippsland Lakes communities.
“This project is aimed at exploring the opportunity for sustainable and commercially viable Sydney rock oyster aquaculture in Victoria. It’s exciting for FRDC to support a project that is collecting critical data and insights into the potential of this new aquaculture industry in eastern Victoria,” said FRDC research and development investment general manager Crispian Ashby.