Representatives from the Ministry for Primary Industries visited Southland yesterday to speak with locals following the discovery of three oysters infected with Bonamia ostreae.
The parasite is capable of increasing mortality in oysters.
Biosecurity manager Dr Cath Duthie said the meeting, which ran for more than three hours, went well.
About 25 people attended, including members of the biosecurity team and representatives from local councils, iwi, and the local oyster industry.
Dr Duthie acknowledged they had little information but made the journey to Invercargill to start conversations early.
"The mood was, they were very concerned. It is a significant thing for them."
The meeting, however, was constructive and everyone was in agreement about the next steps, she said.
A rahui, or access restriction, would be put in place around the small area in which the oysters were found to allow more intensive testing to be conducted.
This would help increase knowledge of the infection and how widespread it was, as well as enable future decision making.
Testing would include genomic testing.
Late last year, oysters in Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island, were found to be infected.
In 2017, the parasite was found in the bay on oyster farms which were consequently removed and a surveillance programme began.
It was not yet known if the confirmation of infection in wild oysters was linked, but it was possible.
Dr Duthie said there was little known about the species.
She said the unknown was always of concern, but hoped the find was caught early.
It would not impact the oyster fishery take, or availability, as the now restricted site had not been fished for five years.
"There will still be heaps of oysters to buy."
Further testing will also be conducted over the next few weeks at the other five monitoring sites, as well as with fishers’ catch.
Bonamia ostreae is not a food safety issue and fresh Bluff oysters remain safe to eat.
