One of the quintessential flavours of Sydney is under threat and it could have major impacts on supply for years to come. The entire stock of Sydney rock oysters in Port Stephens, just north of Newcastle, has been lost to the QX disease, a parasite that specifically targets Sydney rock oysters. Instances of the parasite were first seen in the Port Stephens oyster farms in August 2021, but it has spread more persistently during 2022, leading to the loss of 100 per cent of the region's oysters – numbering in the hundreds of thousands of individual oysters – which accounts for 16 per cent of nation’s supply. The impacts of this mass die-off could be felt by consumers for years, as it is likely to take that long for the oyster beds in this area to recover. In addition to the loss of Sydney rock oysters, Pacific oyster yields in Port Stephens have been smaller than usual over the past year due to unexplained mortality unrelated to the QX disease but possibly linked to repeated flooding in the area.
The impacts of the QX outbreak have already resulted in a number of oyster farms in Port Stephens closing down, and more are likely to fold as it could take more than a year before they can begin supplying restaurants again. While QX disease is deadly for oysters, it has no impact on human health.
A survey by NSW Primary Industries indicates that the QX outbreak is currently contained to Port Stephens, which will be a relief to the state’s largest oyster farms on the South Coast around Merimbula and the Sapphire Coast. However, the loss of the Port Stephens farms may result in oysters increasing in price this summer, so make the most of Sydney’s oyster happy hours while you still can – bargain bivalves may be off the menu soon.