• Auckland’s Jervois Steakhouse was targeted by an oyster thief who stole a box of premium Qysters.
• The theft highlights a broader issue, with oyster shortages and thefts affecting suppliers such as Shaun Gregory.
• Ngāi Tahu Seafood will not harvest tio/Bluff oysters in 2025 due to declining quality and sustainability concerns.

A popular central Auckland eatery has been targeted in broad daylight by an oyster thief who made off with a box of the delicacies.

Security footage captured a mystery woman picking up a sealed styrofoam box on the front porch of Jervois Steak House in Ponsonby between 9am and 10am.

Jervois Steak House staff were shocked by the audacity of the March 21 heist.

“We’ve been in contact with our supplier, who was also impacted by this unfortunate incident, and they are managing the matter directly,” the restaurant said.

“We’re continuing to support them as needed.”

The mystery woman quickly left the restaurant with a box of oysters in hand. Photo / Facebook

The stolen luxury oysters were the award-winning Aqua Mould Systems [AMS] Qysters, distinguished by a signature “Q” mark on the shell.

Qysters have been in hot demand since they were first unveiled at Al Brown’s Depot restaurant in December 2022. However, demand seems to be significantly outstripping supply due to a spate of thefts and shortages.

In early February, Kerikeri oyster farmer Shaun Gregory lost a projected $60,000 in sales after 24,000 Qysters were illegally harvested from his farm near Aroha Island when “they were just ready to go out the door”.

Gregory told NZME at the time the theft was “disheartening” after he had put nine months of work into growing the oysters, and suggested a group of people may have been behind the heist.

“It would have taken a number of people to do it. I don’t believe you could even do it with two people,” he said.

Qyster's trademark 'Q' on the shell. Photo / Supplied

Despite their reputation as a classic Kiwi delicacy, New Zealand oysters will likely be far harder to find this year, as iwi-owned Ngāi Tahu Seafood announced last week they will not be harvesting their renowned tio/Bluff oysters during the 2025 season.

According to Ngāi Tahu Holdings chief executive Todd Moyle, issues with the quality and quantity of Bluff oysters have grown in recent years, and the increasing challenges to farming have forced the seafood supplier to review its fishery’s ability to sustain itself and adapt to change.

“While disease and viruses are significant contributors to the decline in healthy tio populations from one season to the next, there are other potential contributing factors. For example, climate change has led to more frequent and severe weather events, fluctuations in sea temperatures, and disruptions to food sources, all of which negatively impact the fishery,” Moyle said.

Following Ngāi Tahu’s announcement, prominent Auckland chef Al Brown declared his acclaimed Depot Eatery would be taking toi/Bluff oysters off their menu for the year, in line with the iwi’s decision.

“At Depot we celebrate all things seafood, and pride ourselves on serving only the best kaimoana [seafood] on our menus,” the Depot team said.

“We also firmly believe in supporting sustainable practices, utilising secondary cuts of meat, and showcasing a diverse selection of fish, and as a restaurant we recognise the responsibility we have to invest in the sustainability of our natural resources and taonga here in Aotearoa.”

The team noted Depot’s menu would still feature “a wide range [of] other beautiful oysters grown and harvested from around Aotearoa”.

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.