The South Australian oyster industry is worth more than $40 million. (Photo credit: Flickr/(CC BY-SA 2.0))
In short:
Large numbers of fish and oyster fry died at a research facility near Adelaide’s West Beach.
About 70 percent of the state’s oyster seed breeding lines have been lost, but one oyster farmer said that would not directly affect supply.
What’s next?
Investigations are ongoing, but South Australian oyster farmers may consider developing cultured varieties in Tasmania.
Oyster farmers in South Australia say a mass die-off of marine life at an Adelaide research facility has delayed their breeding cycle by about 12 months.
Large numbers of oyster fry and fish such as barramundi and snapper have died for unknown reasons at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) facility on West Beach.
Farmers say South Australia’s oyster supply will not be directly affected, but about 70 per cent of South Australia’s oyster lines have been lost.
“It won’t affect the supply of seed to oyster farmers .. it’s produced by commercial hatcheries so they will still be able to get the seed,” said Gary Zippel, vice president of the South Australian Oyster Farmers Association.
“But it’s really disappointing… We are desperately looking for alternatives to see if we can run it one more time or salvage something.
“At the moment, it looks like we are almost going to waste a whole year on our breeding program.”
Coffin Bay is famous for its oysters. (ABC Eyre Peninsula: Jody Hamilton)
The seedlings in the breeding line are designed to resist Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), a disease that can kill oysters within hours and was first discovered in Australia in 2010.
Mr Zippel said if the issues were resolved, South Australian growers might return to using SARDI’s labs, or they might consider developing breeding lines in Tasmania.
Last year South Australia’s oyster industry was worth $58 million to the state.
Farmers say they are still able to get oyster seed. (ABC Great Southern: Georgia Hargreaves)
Recreational fishers impacted
South Australian Recreational Fisheries Association vice president Barry Brown said the disappearance of snapper was a major blow to recreational anglers as a three-year snapper fishing ban in most of the state was due to end in November 2025.
“It’s a concern and it’s really disappointing to hear that there’s been a mass die-off of the snapper fry they’re raising there, not to mention the other species,” he said.
A one-year-old snapper from the SARDI breeding program. (Photo courtesy)
“It’s still early days, we don’t know enough yet, they say it won’t delay anything, but time will tell.
“Raising snapper fry to a stage where they can be released is not a short and simple process so it is a concern.”
Since 2021, SARDI has bred and released hundreds of thousands of juvenile snapper at the facility into the Gulf of St Vincent.
The facility is located at West Beach, Adelaide. (ABC News: Bethanie Alderson)
Investigation underway
It is presumed that the fish deaths were caused by dredging operations that began in early October on West Beach near the SARDI facility.
Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said the cause of death was yet to be determined.
Minister Scriven speaking to the media earlier this year. (ABC News: Justin Hewison)
Minister Scriven said: “So far we have ruled out any illness or infection through testing.
“It’s unclear what caused this.”
Opposition MP Nicola Centofanti was harshly critical of the situation.
“We’re talking about significant losses… This is an absolute disaster for the country,” she said.
The investigation into the death is ongoing.