While the nation waits anxiously to learn of the full impact of the disasterous MV Rena stranding on a reef just outside the port of Tauranga, it appears the Bay of Plenty’s aquaculture industry may escape relatively unharmed.

Officials abandoned their oil pumping efforts on Monday night as the 47,000 tonne cargo ship threatened to break apart in poor weather.

And they are warning that if the ship does break up, its fuel tanks  still holding more than 1000 tonnes of oil could rupture.

However Marine ecologist Dr Chris Battershill has told Country 99TV that if the oil spill projections are correct the area’s vibrant aquaculture should be OK.

“There’s an extensive mussel farm, offshore mussel farm off Ohiwa Habour, Opitiki. At the moment even the very edges of the projections of the oil spill envelope aren’t going anywhere near that.

"The minute it appears there might be some possibility of oil going down that way we’ll be down there like a shot.” 

 Further, if the spill does reach the mussel farms Dr Battershill says there is a large body of existing research on the impacts of oil on mussels, which the scientists could tap into.  

“We do have some evidence however from mussel farmers in Perth for instance, in a place called Cockburn Sound, which is inside a working harbour. They do experience regular spills from time to time from the ships operating right adjacent to the mussel farms there.

"So we are able to have a look at the speed with which mussels can get rid of hydrocarbons out of their systems when they experience oil. So we’re in a reasonably good position to be able to advise the farmers.”

However, for the commercial fishing industry in the Bay of Plenty the jury is still out, with extensive studies needing to take place to determine the impacts of the oil upon fish.   

"That sort of information is being assembled right now. And we need to then be able to get into the area of effect and do some sampling to find out what, if any of the elevated issues targetted commercial species.”