Oysters bred to resist a deadly herpes virus which is gutting the New Zealand and Australian oyster farming industries should be available to growers by 2018.
The herpes virus started destroying New Zealand shellfish in 2010, and jumped the Tasman two years later.
Australian Seafood Industries general manager Matt Cunningham said resistance to the disease will be available in oyster spat sold to growers within three years.
Brood stock which is 70 percent resistant will go to commercial hatcheries by 2018.