Historically, oyster trade during the first months of the year is generally relatively stagnant, however, during the first quarter of 2016, oyster trade grew by a remarkable 19% compared with the same period the year before. This increase reflects higher demand in Japan (+60%) and in the USA (+41%), largely due to the drop in domestic supplies. It will be interesting to see how this demand in the USA sustains as according to NOAA, the estimated per capita consumption of oyster products in the USA has been on the decline, from about .11 kg in the early 1990s to less than .09 kg during the last five years.

Public interest group sues FDA over not protecting public from bacteria in shellfish In late May, the US Center for Science in the Public Interest sued the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responsible for the safety of oysters and other shellfish, for failing to protect public safety. The shellfish they pointed to contained the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, and was proven deadly in several cases, particularly for people with weakened immune systems. A response to the Center's complaint is expected by late July.