When the news broke this week that the Stansbury Harvesting Area on Yorke Peninsula had been temporarily closed due to an algae bloom, local oyster farmers were thrown into a bit of a tailspin.
Steve Bowley, who works with Pacific Estate Oysters, admits it’s been tough.
“It’s the not knowing that’s the hardest part. We’re staying positive and hoping it’ll all clear up in a couple of weeks, and we can get back to business as usual.”
While closures like this aren’t uncommon—typically lasting just a couple of weeks—this one is a bit different. The culprit behind the shutdown is a type of algae called Karenia brevis, which has never been seen in Australian waters before.
“We just have to let PIRSA (Department of Primary Industries and Regions) do its thing and figure out exactly what’s going on with the algae and its toxicity,” Steve says.
He’s confident they’ll work through it, but like any farmer, he’s frustrated by the unknown.
“If it lasts for a couple of weeks, we might lose about $10,000 in sales, but we’ll make that back in the weeks after.”
Even with the closure, there’s still plenty to do. The farm’s operations can continue as usual, as they can still grade their stock and maintain the oysters in the meantime. The real focus is on making sure everything stays safe and healthy, and Steve’s team is doing everything they can to keep their oysters safe from the harmful algae.
For Steve and other oyster farmers, safety is top of mind. The oyster industry is governed by food safety regulations, including the South Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (SASQAP). This program is vital in ensuring the oysters are safe for consumers.
“SASQAP runs regular water tests to check for viruses and bacteria, and it’s world-class,” Steve explains. “It’s a big deal for the industry, and it guarantees the oysters we produce are safe to eat.”
To keep track of the situation, Steve and his team are keeping a close eye on their oysters.
“We’re doing regular visual inspections to make sure we don’t see any unexplained mortality in the animals. So far, we’ve seen no signs of stress,” he says.
They’re also regularly testing water and oyster samples to track how the algae bloom is developing. To limit the risk, they’ve raised their oysters higher in the water column to keep them away from the algae.
As for when they can start harvesting again, Steve says it all comes down to PIRSA.
“Once they’ve done their tests and confirm that the algae is no longer a threat, they’ll give us the go-ahead to resume harvesting,” he says.
At this point, no one can say for sure what the full impact of Karenia brevis will be. It’s the first time the algae has been detected in Australian waters, so safe levels are still being determined.
If it turns out the algae affects other seafood, like prawns or fish, it could lead to more closures, which would hit the Yorke Peninsula hard.
“If it turns out other seafood species are affected, it could lead to a suspension of all fishing, which would be devastating for the tourism here,” Steve says.
For now, Steve is reassuring customers that the oyster industry is in good hands.
“When the bay is reopened, it will be safe,” he says.
He encourages people to remember that Stansbury is just one small part of the broader South Australian oyster industry.
“There are seven approved harvest areas in South Australia, and Stansbury makes up less than 5% of the mature oyster production. People can eat oysters with confidence knowing the oysters coming from other harvest areas are safe.”
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