It’s official: Tathra Oysters are pearlers

The NSW Government today congratulated Tathra Oysters, from the NSW south coast, for winning a fresh round of industry awards.

The company took out three gold medals at the 2004 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, announced during the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

These were for oysters from the company's Nelson Lagoon leases, in the unshucked, unwashed category.

Tathra Oysters also received an Award of Outstanding Excellence, along with Gold Coast Marine Aquaculture Pty Ltd, which won for its tiger prawns.

This was the first time in the history of the Fine Food events that this particular award had been presented.

Not only did Tathra Oysters' medal tally give them the best overall results in the oyster category, but also the most gold medals for any exhibitor in the aquaculture section.

The Sydney Royal Fine Food Show has a major role in recognising and promoting excellence in produce from exhibitors across Australia.

NSW Fisheries was proud to sponsor the third Sydney Royal Fine Food Show aquaculture competition, which allows aquaculture producers from across Australia to promote environmentally sustainable, quality, farmed seafood.

Aquaculture represents about 30% of total Australian seafood production. It is also one of the fastest growing industries in Australia - in fact, it hit the $50 million production mark for the first time in 2002-03 in NSW alone.

This represents a 10.8% increase on the previous year and is largely due to the success of the farmed prawns and oyster industries. Importantly, aquaculture also generates many jobs for rural and regional NSW.

Six oyster farms and 10 prawn farms entered this year's aquaculture competition.

Media inquiries: Eric Aubert