Although Jonathan Swift has been quoted as saying "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster", oysters have been on the menu from prehistoric times, as seen clearly by the size and distribution of oyster middens around the world. Oysters were an important food source wherever they were found, natural oyster fisheries were an important industry wherever they were plentiful, and oysters remain a popular treat, celebrated in oyster festivals in many cities and towns. Rural Development Services has been working with Shellfish Culture Ltd on a project to develop and commercialise technology that produces natural oysters that do not spawn. Spawnless oysters are renowned for their eating quality and are also available for farming in areas that do not allow fertile oysters. This project has been very successful, with new family lines of spawnless oysters being grown on farms across Australia. This project was supported by the AusIndustry through its Commercial Ready program.