The Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation believes that the time for a shooting prize has come.
– It has become a huge problem! It spreads enormously and does no good to itself.
Secretary General of the Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation, Maren Esmark, has grown tired of the Pacific oyster.
The shells are found in large quantities on beaches all over Eastern Norway. But it’s not just potential cuts that worry Esmark.
– Secretary General of Naturverbforbundet, Maren Esmark, has grown tired of the Pacific oyster. Photo: Private
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– It takes up space and displaces mussels and our own Norwegian oysters. It is an alien species that does not belong here. The result may be that our own species disappear.
Shooting prize
The only way to reduce the amount of oysters is to pick them up manually.
The Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation often arranges clean-up work to crack the shellfish. Now they believe the state and municipality must get on the field.
– There is a shooting prize for nicer animals! While on Pacific oysters, which we do not want, we dare not go to that step. A form of cash prize should definitely be introduced for those who pick many.
Esmark says that the Pacific oyster has come to stay. The important thing now is to slow down the further spread.
– It is very adaptable and can withstand different temperatures. Now it is just a matter of keeping the stock down and preventing it from spreading further up the coast.
But according to the Institute of Marine Research, it may already be too late.
Unique adaptable
– The population in Rogaland is starting to build up. It also spreads in Western Norway and perhaps north towards Sogn.
– DISTRIBUTION: The Institute of Marine Research is now working to map how far the oysters have come along our coast. Photo: Stein Mortensen
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That’s what Stein Mortensen, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, says.
He is now working on mapping the distribution of Pacific oysters in Norwegian waters. According to Mortensen, the species is gaining a foothold step by step, slowly but surely.
– It is a unique species in its ability to adapt. It is probably a northern border where it will no longer establish itself. But when it spawns, the larvae can drift far, so it will probably be possible that one or two shells end up far to the north.
Mortensen, on the other hand, is not as negative towards the Pacific oyster as the nature conservation association is.
Alarms about “sea snot” outbreaks in Greece and Turkey
– It can potentially be used to make animal feed and as a protein supplement. Although the species is undesirable, it has so far not led to major changes in the ecosystem in Norwegian waters, but the effect on bathing beaches and outdoor areas is of course bad.
However, it is something completely different than animal feed and protein supplements the Pacific oyster can primarily be used for.
Barbecue facilities
– The taste of it is very good! It can definitely compete with the Dutch and French, says master chef Jimmy Øien.
At the Rest restaurant, where Øien is the chef, they use a lot of Pacific oysters. The eye is concerned that oysters do not need to be consumed in the classic “slurp raw” way.
– OPPORTUNITIES: Master chef Jimmy Øien encourages Norwegians to use oysters in cooking this summer. Photo: Tom Rune Orset / TV 2
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– It is very nice in sauce. You can also both fry it and grill it. The largest I have kept has been 1.6 kilos, so there are definitely sizes that provide barbecue options.
Øien believes and hopes that Norwegians will be less skeptical of oysters, and that we are good at using the foods we have a lot of.
But it is not just because of taste, that Øien recommends heat treatment of the oysters. He himself states that he has become ill after eating raw oysters in the Netherlands.
Not like mussels
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is also behind the heat treatment tip.
– There is always a certain risk of eating raw oysters with regard to viruses. But if you heat-treat the oysters, the virus is deactivated, says special inspector at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Merete Hestdal, but points out:
– In addition, there is always a risk that the shells contain algae toxins, and they do not disappear with heat treatment.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority does not have a general recommendation regarding the Pacific oyster, or a warning similar to that for mussels.
– The Pacific oyster can not be completely compared to mussels. Mussels seem to absorb algae toxins faster than oysters, but oysters seem to retain the toxin over a longer period of time once it has arrived.
– LONGER PERIOD: Mussels seem to absorb algae toxins faster than oysters, but oysters seem to keep the toxin for a longer period of time once it has arrived. Photo: Stein Mortensen
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Hestdal explains that you can not lean on the mussel warning when picking oysters, but that it can act as a pointer.
To date, not many algae toxins have been detected in Pacific oysters in Norway.
As far as is known, in recent years diarrhea toxin above the limit values has only been detected once.
May appear by boats
A virus that can also cause stomach upset and communicable disease is the norovirus.
– Norovirus is excreted in the faeces of infected humans and animals, which in turn can be spread to the sea from sewage discharges, leisure boats and birds.
Norovirus occurs most frequently in the winter months. Occupational disease in kindergartens and schools is a hint of an increased risk of norovirus in mussels that are eaten raw.
– E.coli in shells is used as an indicator of bacteria and viruses. Norovirus can reside in the shells for several weeks after E. coli is no longer detected.
Tastes like oysters on the spot
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