Oyster season extended
Oyster-lovers' prayers have been answered with the Government giving a one-off extension to the Bluff oyster season, to give the Rugby World Cup supporters a chance to enjoy the delicacies.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley said a special permit had been issued to run from September 5 to October 23.
"The sustainability of the fishery was a key concern when considering this special permit."
Without this extension, the oyster season ended for recreational and commercial fishers on August 31st.
"We have a relatively short time-frame to showcase the best of New Zealand produce to the many thousands of visitors who will be visiting our shores during the Rugby World Cup."
This decision by the Government is perfectly in line with their exploitive/extractive world view - if it can be sold, dig it up. Giving lip-service to environmental concerns, as Heatly has done here will work just fine - New Zealand's rugby-loving public won't give the proposal a second thought, I'm guessing. After all, the oyster has no lobby group, save those who want to eat them.
I protest the decision though. It's just greedy. When he was in Bluff, John Key said he yearned to 'eat his body-weight in oysters', so his Government's decision to haul out-of-season oysters up for the sake of rugby, is no surprise at all.
4 comments:
I escorted him around and believe mr he ate nothing near that.
For once I agree with Cr Boniface, should only have been for the period we had RWC in Southland. Our product, our resource, our livelihoods reliant on it, we should reap all benefit of it, entice visitors to the environment that provides it and not ship it out at wholesale for businesses around the rest of the country to price gouge.
The end date should have been more realistically set at SEPT 23 and I'm told this would not risk interrupting the spawning season.
Maybe those with 'disposable income' and 'naked greed'(nice tag) would have planned an earlier trip to NZ and popped down to Southland for a few days for Bluff Oysters, spent some money on accommodation, had a look around, spread the word when they go home but now they can sit in their corporate boxes and eat Bluff Oysters in jafa town. No foresight.
Venture Southland should check what their name says...it's Venture SOUTHLAND not DestinationNZ.
To increase the demand (whole country)to that extent is not 'sustainability' it's greed.
I'd have admonished him for inciting gluttony by his comments Kylie.
I agree with your comments about localizing the benefits. I wonder though, what we are trying to achieve. Do we want to broaden the market for the oysters? Is it not over-subscribed already? Are we looking to export to Scotland, once the Scottish visitors become hooked on oyster?
I think it's a foolish precedent - re-open the fishery because of tourism demands. From an environmental point of view, that's crass.
Isn't it one of those "sounds a good idea" that when thought through properly turns out to be a reallyl not so good idea.
In fact its a super duper daft idea.
Even the word ID agrees - aphyp!!!!!
Greed wins over stewardship, imho.
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