Oyster farmers turn to new species and other estuaries to survive QX disease
It has been more than two years since QX disease devastated one of the most productive oyster-growing estuaries in NSW. There are recovery signs for Port Stephens farmers with many changing their business model to survive. But the industry’s ability to withstand future disease remains uncertain.
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00:00This oyster farm on the banks of the Tillagary Creek is a hive of activity but two years
00:08ago this production line was nearly brought to a standstill by an oyster killing parasite
00:14known as QX.
00:16Unfortunately we saw severe mortalities right through the three crops of rock oysters that
00:22we had.
00:24Before the outbreak in Port Stephens the oyster industry was worth $10 million.
00:29Recent figures show that value has dropped by $3 million.
00:33Since then it's been a matter of lots of changes.
00:38Now these farmers are cultivating Pacific oysters.
00:41They take 12 months to grow compared to three years for the traditional Sydney rock oysters.
00:46We saw that really as the only way that we could start to generate income and keep the
00:52farm going.
00:53The Pacifics come with their own risks but the species has saved Alex Watt's business.
00:59He's also growing oysters in other estuaries around the state.
01:04We've spread the risk so if we ever wipe out in one we've got other places to turn to.
01:13A state government program is breeding Sydney rock oysters that grow faster and are more
01:18resilient to QX.
01:20The average survival of our spat, so those juvenile oysters, following one exposure to
01:26QX was 80%.
01:28But many farmers found oysters from the breeding program didn't cope during the outbreak of
01:332022.
01:34They also say funding in response to QX was lacking.
01:38Obviously there were flooding events so there was natural disaster support payments available
01:44but no, there was no direct financial support.
01:49The state government says it's invested more in Port Stephens than any other QX impacted
01:55estuary.
01:56My hope would be that within five years Port Stephens is back up and growing and producing
02:05like it used to.
02:06Cautious optimism after a challenging couple of years.