Dec 8, 2010: Oyster Herpes Outbreak in New Zealand

Oyster herpes first gained worldwide attention (at least, among people who pay attention to oysters) in 2008 when it was responsible for widespread mortality in French oyster farms. Since then the French strain of the disease has popped up in Britain. Now oyster herpes is being blamed for the 80% mortality that farmers in New Zealand are seeing in their juvenile Pacifics. Scientists in New Zealand estimate that the disease has been in their waters since the 90s, but that warmer water temperatures precipitated the current outbreak. They are also hoping that the surviving 20% of the population can be used to create a herpes-resistant strain of Pacific oyster. Let's hope they're right!