A whole lot of love

Jim's latest and largest project has been developing a sustainable oyster farm in the Kaipara Harbour using recycled plastic instead of treated timber, which he says is better for the environment and longer lasting. It has taken 12 years to come to fruition but the farm is one of the highlights of his career to date.

"The new oyster farm is different to any other marine farm, especially in its ecological value. It was a real achievement to get it approved by the regional council," he says.

The Kaipara farm, managed by his son Dan (who was drawn back to the industry after working in viticulture several years ago), is at least six or seven times larger than his existing oysters farms and larger than any other oyster farm in New Zealand. Its eventual yield for export will be a significant contributor to New Zealand's economy.

A new breed of farmer

Jim was a biology teacher before working summers for seafood company Sealord. Diving on giant "teiche' or trap nets ignited his passion for the industry. "I found the work very satisfying."

He returned to university for a master's degree in marine biology and then began his exploration into marine farming.

Initially Jim and a fellow university student intended to farm mussels after establishing their own company, Biomarine, but difficulty getting permits in the late 1970s led them to work on Oyster farms in the Mahurangi Harbour, near Warkworth. It wasn't long before the two owned the farms and the company grew.

As an oyster farmer the hours are long and subject to the tides, says Jim. "It's hard work physically and time consuming but it's still far better than ‘flying a desk' everyday," he says.

Payback for the hard yards has been growing his business and employing staff. These days Jim oversees farm operations, the processing factory and spends the rest of his time inventing.

Harvesting the food of love

Oysters are typically grown in baskets, secured to lines in waterways and a tidal environment. From spat they take about 15 months to grow. Harvesting and maintenance takes place when the tide is low. Jim sells oysters to New Zealand markets as well as exporting frozen oysters in the half shell mainly to Australia, Japan and Tahiti but also Italy, China, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Perfectly pure

Water quality is critical to oyster farming - and Jim's drive to achieve pure waterways one of the impetuses that led to the development of the Kaipara Harbour farm where the water is pristine.

Growing oysters in waterways can be problematic with people and farm run-off affecting water quality. Jim continues to research and advocate for smarter ways to ensure our waterways remain clean and healthy not only for oysters but also for the environment.