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Rawfish focuses on food of all kinds, and on the Gold Coast food scene in particular. Dozens of recipes with step by step photos are archived on Rawfish, along with restaurant reviews of some of the Gold Coast’s top restaurants. Gold Coast news and special events are also featured. If it’s happening on the Gold Coast, it’s on Rawfish.

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Raw Fish - April 2008

All About Oysters

April 8th 2008 08:11

There are numerous species of oysters native to Australia, of which the Sydney Rock Oyster, originally described as Saccostrea commercialis is the most famous. They are commercially cultivated from Malacoota in Victoria, up the NSW coast and as far as Tin Can Bay in Queensland. Saccostrea commercialis has been determined to be the same species as the New Zealand rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata.

Tassie oyster Pacific oyster Tasmania aphrodisiac

The Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas is often mistakenly called the Tassie Oyster, but it originates from Japan and was initially introduced to Tasmania. This mollusc is much larger than the native species. Pacific Oysters are commercially cultivated in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

Pacific Tassie oysters bottled aphrodisiac

They are sold unopened, in the half shell and in bottles. Bottled oysters are required by law to be stored in clean fresh water with no preservatives.
The Milky Oyster, Saccostrea cuccullata and the Black-lip Oyster, Striostrea mytiloides – syn Saccostrea echinata are found in northern waters, from Queensland’s Moreton bay, all the way across the Top End and down into Western Australia.

They are wild-harvested from rocky foreshore areas. They may be eaten at the point of collection but may not be removed in the shell or in a jar. While there is little interest in their aquaculture, small quantities have been cultured and at least one hatchery has produced spat.
The distribution of the flat oyster, Ostrea angasi, extends along the southern Australian coast from the Swan River in WA to the Clarence River, NSW, and in Tasmania. However, production is yet to develop despite the improvement of some hatchery and culture techniques. The majority of flat oysters sold are wild harvested from dredge beds.

The pearl oyster industry is Australia’s most valuable aquaculture sector. The silver lip oyster, Pinctada maxima, is the preferred species for pearl culture, although there is some interest in the production of smaller round pearls from Pinctada margaritifera. They are grown predominantly in Northern West Australia as well as the Northern Territory and Queensland.

As oysters are often eaten raw there are some health risks. According to the Department of Primary Industries, oysters should not be eaten from jetties and bridge pylons where the water may be polluted with unknown toxins. In Queensland and NSW the seasonal occurrence of QX disease restricts the tidal areas where oysters can be viably produced.
Oysters feed by filtering the water, so a build up of contaminants is possible. In the case of commercially produced oysters, the water quality is constantly monitored and harvesting can be postponed if quality and safety standards are not met.

Oysters are high in protein but contain very little cholesterol. They only provide approximately 20 kilojoules per oyster or about 1 gram of fat per dozen. Other nutritional benefits include vitamins B1, B2, C and Omega 3, as well as trace minerals including zinc. Zinc is an important nutrient for healthy eyesight and is used for sperm production. The reputed aphrodisiac qualities of oysters are finally backed by science, so enjoy them!

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Posted By: GlenB - Category: Entertainment

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Nomad

April 8th 2008 09:52

Awesome Food

yeah oysters kick arse!!

Nomad

Comment by Cibbuano

April 9th 2008 02:43

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
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Fat Cult
Techbreak

great post Glen. You said that you can buy them unopened? I've never found anyplace in Sydney that'll sell them unopened! Even in the fish markets, they're shucked and ready to go...

Comment by GlenB

April 10th 2008 06:28

Raw Fish

That's right. If you want them unopened you might have to try ringing around a few wholesale oyster suppliers. They usually sell retaiI aswell, but their greatest demand is probably for shucked oysters. Just ask them to save you some unopened.
Watch your fingers when you get them, though!

Comment by Cibbuano

April 10th 2008 23:13

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

ah, that's too bad. Thanks for the tip, though...

Comment by AWH

April 11th 2009 00:55

Hi all,

Does anybody out there know of a Gold Coast source for Bluff (New Zealand) oysters?

I grew up with these (my father worked on the waterfront in Bluff when I was a lad growing up in Invercargill, NZ).

Cheers,
Alan.

Comment by GlenB

April 13th 2009 05:36

Raw Fish

You can buy Large New Zealand oysters frozen in boxes but I don't know if they are from Bluff. But why bother?
When you lived near a fresh food source, well and good, but why buy them from thousands of K's away?
There are fresh sources of oysters closer to home.

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