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Bluff oysters parasite threat
There are concerns the iconic Bluff oyster could be decimated by a parasite discovered in Stewart Island farms.
Bonamia ostreae has been detected at two Stewart Island oyster farms, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has put restrictions on the area to limit further spread. MPI this afternoon ordered an oyster cull in Stewart Island’s Big Glory Bay in an attempt to stop the parasite’s spread.
While there are no food safety issues from eating oysters infected with B. ostreae, it does have a high fatality rate among infected oysters. Those in the industry are concerned the parasite could spread to wild populations in Foveaux Strait.
MPI also battles myrtle rust
The discovery of B. ostreae in Southland comes at a time MPI is already busy mounting a response to myrtle rust, a fungal disease that may affect several iconic New Zealand plant species including pōhutukawa, rātā and mānuka.
As of today, 41 properties have been infected with myrtle rust, 35 of which are in Taranaki. The fungal disease has been found on a mix of both seedlings and adult trees across pōhutukawa, ramarama, eucalyptus and mānuka.
The disease was found in Australia in 2010, where it rapidly spread, infecting eucalypts and threatening several treasured plant species of significance for Aboriginal Australians.
Niwa scientists have identified up to six weather events that could have brought the fungal spores over from Australia.
Science Media Centre NZ
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