Oysters

The Oyster Committee represents over 150 oyster farmers located in 30 estuaries between the Qld and Vic borders. Members produce native Sydney Rock and Angasi Oysters as well as Pacific Oysters. The Committee aims to pursue industry viability and focuses on issues ranging from production, marketing, tenure security and water quality.

The Committee meets twice per year, a number of times by teleconference. The Oyster section holds an Annual General Meeting between July and September at a location that changes on a year to year basis. All Members are encouraged to attend the AGM as this is the main policy setting platform for the Oyster Section and determines the priority areas that become the focus for the Oyster Committee that year.

In addition to regular Oyster Committee meetings and policy work, the Oyster Section also holds an annual marketing and promotion event in Sydney called Oysters in the House. Oysters in the House brings Sydney Rock Oysters from across NSW and has a unique focus that is the peoples choice award where the general public tastes and rate the oysters and a peoples champion is selected. The Oysters in the House event also features Angasi and Pacific Oysters, and the regional showcase where oysters are prepared in different ways and combined with premium regional NSW wines. Planning is currently underway for the 2010 instalment of Oysters in the House, this year we are considering a number of ways to change the event, whilst ensuring to stay true to the events goals of promoting NSW Oysters. This years event is likely to be held in November 2010, if you are interested in attending, please email Richard Widows at widowsr@nswfarmers.org.au

The Oyster Committee also organises biennial field days that are held in the North and South of the State. These field days provide the opportunity for industry to come together and learn about current industry issues and production techniques. The field days were last held in September 2009 in Batemans Bay and Forster, therefore the next round of field days will be held in 2011. If you are an Oyster trade supplier and are interested in exhibiting at the NSW Oyster Industry Field Days in 2011, please email Richard Widows at widowsr@nswfarmers.org.au

The Oyster Committees primary tool for communicating with industry is the Oyster Update Newsletter. This newsletter is produced on a quarterly basis and provides an update of Oyster Committee activities. Copies of the Oyster Update are available below.