Over the last ten years the South Australia (SA) Oyster Industry has nearly doubled its output, and now contributes nearly one hundred million dollars annually to the Gross State Product (GSP). Coincident with this growth has been an increasing sense within the industry that the mortality rates of juvenile oysters during the late autumn/winter period has been increasing and has now become a significant impediment to increasing production. This increase in mortality has been labelled South Australian Mortality Syndrome (SAMS).

In September 2012 a workshop was held for producers in Port Lincoln, with the intention of describing and evaluating the mortality being experienced across the SA growing zones. The input from a large number of producers was assessed and a report of this meeting produced for the South Australian Oyster Research Council (SAORC) and distributed to the industry.

Two very clear messages emerged from the presentations given by subject experts: the importance of normal, and the availability of information. A process of identifying the gaps and possible research to help overcome the deficits were identified for the development and appraisal of any future research. These themes were:

1. Better understanding of the normal oyster
2. The nutritional requirements of SA Oysters
3. Information management
4. Information extension

Ensuring that producers are aware of these themes will help to develop understanding of the decisions that are made in funding research, and ensure the successful extension and integration of research findings into the industry.

Oysters Australia Pty Ltd, the first national body representing the interests of all Australian oyster growers was incorporated on the 3rd October, 2011. The board comprises six grower directors selected from state based bodies the South Australian Oyster Growers Association, the South Australian Oyster Research Council, the Tasmanian Shellfish Executive Council, the Tasmanian Oyster Research Council, NSW Farmers Oysters Committee and the NSW Aquaculture Research & Advisory Council. Each of these six bodies are identified as being representative of the commercial interests of oyster growers in each of those three states. The six grower directors will be elected on a rotational basis from the each of the state bodies every 2 years.

The core objectives of Oysters Australia are to on behalf of oyster growers are:

1. Commissioning, managing and reporting on national R&D projects.
2. Liaising closely with the states to ensure there is a commonly articulated understanding and view on R&D projects to eliminate duplication of effort and resources.
3. Over time, potentially become the national body responsible for the commissioning and managing of national marketing and promotion activities.
4. In the short term, replacing the core functions of the Shellfish Industry Council of Australia (“SICOA”). Over time, OA would develop a more active role in the development of a national and higher profile in the eyes of regulators, government and others in the supply chain.

Oysters Australia will comprise the board of 6 directors, plus an Executive Officer and Chairman.

Oysters Australia has created a website www.oystersaustralia.org.au.

Under a joint arrangement between Seafood Services Australia (SSA) and the South Australian Oyster Research Council (SAORC), a project was developed to investigate mudworm in South Australia.

A minor mudworm survey was carried out in which between one and three dozen oysters from seven different growing areas were sampled for mudworm species, the survey involved industry members, scientists and industry experts and was implemented over a 2-day period in Adelaide. The survey only touched on the edge on the mudworm issue in South Australia, but provided a forum to train South Australian industry and scientist representatives in the sampling, preservation and the identification of mudworm.

The mudworm species identified were different from previously recorded species; which raised concerns and questions regarding the problematic species in SA.  The confusion over the identification of some of the South Australian mudworm species highlighted the need for more investigative work in this area.

Height in the water column is considered the best management method for controlling mudworm infestations on the farm; this is very much supported through the extensive research conducted by Dr Handley. Dr Handley presented on mudworm ecology and management techniques at an industry workshop held in Port Lincoln to build awareness and to reiterate to industry the potential impact mudworm can have on oyster stocks, given the right environmental conditions for growth.

The results from the survey demonstrated that future work on mudworm is required. It is SAORC aim to expand on the work done to date to identify the species causing the blisters in various SA oyster growing areas and understand enough of their life cycles to recommend effective control strategies. Then management techniques suitable to the grower can be developed, ultimately giving growers the methods to farm oysters without the financial burden of mudworm infestations.