Christmas Update || December 2023
As we wrap up another incredible year, we would like to provide an update from our chairman and general manager.
Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope the Christmas rush is a profitable one for everyone in the oyster industry.
Christmas marks the point at which our new Service Fee has been in place for half a year. It is very pleasing to see that fees are flowing into ASI at a rate close to our expectations, thus securing the future of ASI. Thanks to hatcheries and all oyster growers for your trust and honesty in continuing our unique business model.
Henry Hewish now has his feet well and truly under the table as our General Manager. He is making significant changes to the way in which we operate, saving money and improving services. For example, we now provide hatcheries with a wider range of broodstock, which will enable them to offer growers a greater choice of spat in future.
At our AGM in November, I announced my impending retirement from ASI. I will step down as soon as a new chair is appointed. If you are aware of someone who would be a good chair of ASI, please encourage them to apply. Details are on our website.
There are many people who support ASI. I would like to thank all the growers who hold oysters for us. Thanks also to the staff of SAOGA and Oysters Tasmania for their inputs. ASI directors and staff work enthusiastically year round and I thank them for their energy too.Season’s greetings to all.
Len Stephens
Chair
Merry Christmas everyone, we hope the season has been busy and sales have exceeded expectations. We hear the market has been hungry for oysters and hope that continues into the new year.
Here at ASI we have been busy handling our 2023 year class in both Tasmania and South Australia. Our South Australia families have recently been graded for the first time since being deployed and the results are very positive. In Tasmania we have just deployed our first spawn into Pittwater for our POMS trials. We are mixing things up slightly in Tasmania this year and are looking at general survivability in our northern bays. We are also looking at several different performance traits to measure against that we hope to implement before out move into Genomics next year.
We have had a productive year and thank the whole of industry for working with us. We appreciate all feedback good, bad and indifferent so please feel free to call any of us to let us know how your stock is performing.
Henry Hewish
General Manager