Adam Hartman
18 April 2008
THERE is no telling when another red tide may threaten Namibia's small oyster industry again as it did during the last month, but one thing is sure, oyster farmers are not going to take it lying down next time.
In fact, the combination of unfavourable ocean conditions that resulted in larger than normal algae blooms forced oyster farmers to team up with foreign specialists to look at measures to minimise the impact such conditions would have in future - measures that may revolutionise oyster farming over the next ten years.
Farms dependent on the Walvis Bay Lagoon for export-quality oysters learned an expensive lesson during the last red tide, with an estimated 10 million oysters - 80 to 90 per cent of the stock - being destroyed.
The industry not only lost millions of dollars, but foreign market expansion was also set back by up to a year, according to sources in the industry.
Last year the industry exported oysters worth about N$35 million.
Two American researchers in oyster ecology and aquaculture are currently in Namibia, and have offered advice and support in developing the industry.
It was mentioned during a recent meeting of oyster farmers that the oxygen levels in the Benguela Current were decreasing.
This, together with rising temperatures, could have a harmful effect on the Benguela ecosystem, which will affect the oyster industry.
Unfavourable conditions are bound to happen more frequently.
Toughening oysters and/or genetically modifying them to cope with harsh climatic and ocean conditions are some of the measures that may become important features in local oyster production.
Currently the oysters are considered quite frail, and at the mercy of relatively small fluctuations in the environment, hence the massive casualty rate during the last red tide.
"Toughening up" measures include frequently taking the oysters out of the water so that they can adapt to surviving out of water or with little oxygen - the factor that killed most of them during the red tide.
Local farmers came up with some ingenious suggestions, like the oysters being suspended from rotating metal cylinders, regularly lifting oyster batches out of the water.
Other ideas included oyster rafts that could be hoisted in and out of the water at regular intervals.
Besides making oysters tougher, there is also the option of genetic modification, which would help oysters grow faster without wasting energy on other biological activities such as reproduction.
It is believed the oysters would then not be as vulnerable to adverse conditions.
Asked whether these methods would not affect the quality of the oysters, the researchers said the recent incident had forced farmers to "rethink" oyster farming.
Although oysters from Walvis Bay are renowned for their size and flavour, reducing the risks of environmental disaster was the first priority and through research, a better quality and more resilient oyster could be created.
"The solutions are with the farmers," the researchers said.
Adequate insurance coverage and Government funding for the oyster industry was also discussed - especially in the event of another incident in which the industry could suffer major losses.
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