Bluff oysters off the menu as iwi and leading restaurants pull the plug on 2025 tio season

A major seafood supplier will not harvest Bluff oysters in 2025, prompting one of the country’s leading restaurants to take them off their menu.

Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation chief executive Todd Moyle says that due to ongoing concerns about the poor state of the fishery, the iwi-owned Ngāi Tahu Seafood will not harvest tio / Bluff oysters this season.

“For the past two years, Ngāi Tahu Seafood has ceased harvesting tio earlier in the season due to a decline in the quantity landed and the poor quality of the catch,” he said.

“The tio fishery is currently facing several challenges. While disease and viruses are significant contributors to the decline in healthy tio populations from one season to the next, there are other potential contributing factors. For example, climate change has led to more frequent and severe weather events, fluctuations in sea temperatures, and disruptions to food sources, all of which negatively impact the fishery.”

Last night, Auckland restaurant Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar, owned by chef Al Brown, announced on Instagram it would not be serving the southern oysters this season, following conversations with its suppliers and correspondence with the iwi-owned fishery in Bluff.

Depot was one of the country’s earliest raw oyster bars, operating a dedicated counter shucking shellfish to order.

Announcing the decision to bench-rest the kaimoana from their menu, the eatery explained: “For the last three seasons, Ngāi Tahu have noticed a decline in the quality, size, and quantity of Bluff oysters being fished in Foveaux Strait, raising concerns around the sustainability of these oysters.

“At Depot we celebrate all things seafood, and pride ourselves on serving only the best kaimoana on our menus, we also firmly believe in supporting sustainable practices, utilising secondary cuts of meat, and showcasing a diverse selection of fish, and as a restaurant we recognise the responsibility we have to invest in the sustainability of our natural resources and taonga here in Aotearoa.

“While this was not a decision we made lightly, we ultimately feel that the best thing for us to do as an oyster-centric restaurant was to play our part in alleviating the stress on the seabeds in Foveaux Strait, by removing Bluff oysters from our menus for this season, and doing our bit to ensure that these very special oysters can be around to be enjoyed for generations to come.

“While you won’t be seeing Bluff oysters on our menu this year, rest assured that we will still be showcasing a wide range other beautiful oysters grown and harvested from around Aotearoa, all shucked fresh to order.”

Chef Al Brown prepares a tray of oysters at his restaurant Depot in 2014. The restaurant will not serve Bluff oysters in 2025. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The Bluff oyster season generally runs between March and August, when the shellfish are dredged from the coastlines of Southland, one of the few natural oyster beds in the world.

Bluff oysters (Tiostrea chilensis) grow naturally in the strong currents and cold waters of Foveaux Strait, which separates Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island) from Rakiura (Stewart Island) and is one of the oldest commercial fisheries in New Zealand.

Moyle said Ngāi Tahu were taking a “an intergenerational approach to our fishing practices, prioritising the long-term sustainability of the fishery and the wellbeing of the communities it supports”.

“We will continue to closely monitor the health and performance of the fishery and will make an informed decision about whether we fish tio next season by the end of the year.”