Ministry for Primary Industries

C-407132 Bonamia Ostreae - Life Cycle and Environmental Sinks

The flat oyster parasite Bonamia ostreae (B. ostreae) causes over 90% mortality in infected oysters, and once established, eradication is not possible. This parasite was first identified in New Zealand in the Marlborough Sounds in 2015. Following the spread of B. ostreae to Big Glory Bay, Rakiura Stewart Island in 2017, the flat oyster farms in Marlborough and Big Glory Bay were removed to reduce the propagule pressure of the parasite in the water column. This action works to slow the natural spread and translocation risk of the parasite to new areas protecting the iconic wild flat oysters (Ostrea chilensis, also known as Tio) in Foveaux Strait from infection. Since this incursion, a number of research gaps have been highlighted, most recently by the 2019 MPI commissioned Technical Advisory Group report that investigated the return to flat oyster farming.
What we need
We need a provider who can develop and optimise molecular test(s) suitable for detecting B. ostreae in different environmental matrices (including non-flat oyster hosts and carriers). This will require a robust study identifying the potential environmental sinks, exploring the persistence of the parasite in identified environmental hosts/carriers, and the ability of these hosts/carriers to transmit this parasite to naïve flat oysters and effort to further elucidate the B. ostreae lifecycle and the potential for spore formation

Department/Business Unit: New Zealand Food Safety