Photo: Supplied
Oyster farmers in the Warkworth area, north of Auckland, fear their businesses won't survive the year.
They say the dumping of untreated raw sewage into the Mahurangi Harbour has led to frequent restrictions on their ability to harvest, and they're urging Watercare and Auckland Council to invest in waste treatment solutions that are effective and sustainable.
Tim Aitken bought Mahurangi Oysters in 2020. Since then, he's invested his life savings in the business, including moving to a flip farm to make it more sustainable.
"In 2020 we had 20 odd days closure. And so far in 2025, we've been closed for 64 days which is 100 percent of our harvesting period so far," he said.
They had been looking at exporting but now can't guarantee supply because of the closures.
Aitken said the brand he'd spent the last five years developing was now by association with the harbour, "shot".
"It's not just I can't sell oysters, our brand is Mahurangi oysters," he said.
Aitken was frustrated and upset. He said it now looked like they could be closed the whole year which he feared the business would not survive.
"I hate to say it but we might not have a business by the end of the year."
Meanwhile Tom Walters has been running Matakana Oysters for over 20 years.
"There's a few of us that are just very small oyster farmers. I'm not a big oyster farmer. We're just 'ma and pa' guys."
Walters was also doubtful of the business' future.
"We've had many crises over the years but none have compared to this," he said.
"It's devastating. I'm looking at losing everything."
It had also made him rethink New Zealand's reputation as a 'clean and green' country.
Walters said it was an issue driven by infrastructure failing to keep up with the growth of Warkworth.
He said such issues were popping up all around New Zealand, where growth was being allowed at the expense of the environment.
"There shouldn't be growth until the bloody infrastructure is in place. You don't build backwards. And that's what's happening everywhere."
Walters said temporary measures designed to help have yet to be implemented and a more longterm solution will come too late.
In a statement, Watercare chief strategy and planning officer Priyan Perera said the Auckland Council-controlled water services provide was developing a $450 million programme to transform wastewater services in the Warkworth area, including a new pipeline which will help reduce wet weather overflows to the Mahurangi River.
The pipeline was not expected to be completed until 2028.
While the new pipeline would make the biggest difference in reducing wet weather overflows to the river, Watercare was working to reduce the frequency of overflows in the shorter term.
Perera said Watercare is in regular contact with Mahurangi Harbour oyster farmers about work being undertaken to improve the situation, including alerting them to the event of any overflows.
"We sympathise with the Mahurangi Harbour oyster farmers and are committed to improving the situation for them.
Watercare will be meeting with the farmers next week to provide them with an update.
