THE NSW Food Authority has closed oyster leases at Soldiers Point's Oakey Island, but said the shutdown was simply procedure and there were no safety risks to consumers.
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About 7.30pm on March 16, oyster leases in Soldiers Point's Oakey Island were closed.
A spokeswoman from the NSW Food Authority said the closure came as a precaution due to a sewage spill on the eastern side of Soldiers Point.
"The sewage spill occurred due to a power outage," the spokeswoman said.
Soldiers Point Community Group president Colin Howard said the closure was supported by the industry in the area and that to his understanding this type of incident was routine.
The NSW Food Authority spokeswoman said the closure was in line with the group's shellfish program requirements.
"It is protocol to close oyster harvest areas down for a minimum period of 21 days following a confirmed sewage event suspected to have impacted a shellfish harvest area," she said.
"Microbiological sampling is required to assess the current sanitary status of the harvest area prior to harvest resuming."
The spokeswoman assured residents and visitors in the are there was no risk when eating oysters from the area.
"As a result of the closure of the harvest area no oysters will be harvested for sale."
She said consumers should follow the NSW Food Authority recommendations, and only buy oysters from reputable retailers as these products have been monitored for safety and meet the standards required by the NSW Shellfish Program.
