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NEWS RELEASE (CNS945) -->> FISHERIES--OYSTER WORKSHOP FISHERIES--OYSTER WORKSHOP ----------------------------------------------------------------- Nova Scotian oyster growers just got a taste of what the market is looking for. Rodney Clark, known as the "Oyster Man" in Toronto, was guest speaker at a recent oyster workshop held in Port Hawkesbury. Clark owns Rodney's Oyster House, a restaurant in downtown Toronto that serves between 6,000 to 10,000 oysters a week. Having been on the "oyster buying side" for 10 years, Clark had a lot of marketing advice to offer the growers on the "selling side" of the business. "I was amazed and appreciative that people would drive from all tips of Nova Scotia to solve the puzzle of what people want in the oyster market," he said. Clark was greeted by a very receptive crowd of oyster growers from around Nova Scotia, as well as representatives from federal and provincial departments. Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Jim Barkhouse said the workshop was "a great opportunity for growers to learn first-hand the market expectations. They found out what the consumer wants and what the requirements are." Oyster growers in Nova Scotia have a good product and with a little work, they can better cultivate the market. "I'm telling them how they can get more money in their pocket," Mr. Clark said. Markets are constantly changing, oysters being no exception. There is currently a slight ease in the economy, making markets more favourable towards this specialty item, however, growers must achieve the right marketing mix to sell their product. Mr. Clark said, producers need to establish consistency in grade. He said there must be agreement on a scale of measurement for oyster shape and size. He said uniformity of product is essential in all areas. "Everyone -- buyers and producers -- needs the same scorecard." Mr. Clark stressed the importance of grading. He said that producers must sell graded oysters. A buyer may be looking for a specific grade, so it is important to give the customer the grade ordered and not mix grades, he said. Alex Dunphy, an oyster grower from the Aspy Bay area, said, "The grade is really important, and with a specialty item like oysters, each buyer knows exactly the grade they want." Packaging is part of the image and ideally, oysters should be shipped in wooden boxes, filled with sea weed, cup side down. They can also be shipped in Styrofoam if wooden boxes are not available, Mr. Clark said. Finally, he said, the producer's name must stand for something. Buyers look for recognition of trademarks, so specific growing areas should be labelled. This he said, is vital if producers want to negotiate a top price. In Mr. Clark's experience with oysters he said he has found it important to distinguish the product by the area from which the oyster comes. This gives the oyster a special identity and works as a marketing tool. "You've got to give the oyster it's pride of location. For example, oysters from the Bras d'Or Lakes come from a place with a lot of history," Clark said. Once growers understand these points, he said they should then focus on getting oysters to market. Growers from around the province should work together as a team to establish a distribution system, Mr. Clark said. Major North American markets include Washington, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto and Chicago. Mr. Clark also urged growers to work with the tourism and restaurant industries to promote oysters. "Nova Scotia has the ability to make people feel warmly welcomed. Why not make them feel like kings by serving them oysters?" Mr. Clark is more than a restauranteur, in fact he is one of the fastest oyster shuckers around, recently placing first in the Oyster Shucking Championships of Canada, held in Prince Edward Island. -30- Contact: Diane Kenny 902-424-0308 trp Dec. 16, 1996 - 1:20 p.m.