Study by Sebrae/SE aims to boost oyster farming in the Northeast.

Wellington Amarante, from the Sebrae News Agency - A pioneering study developed by Sebrae aims to evaluate the viability of three oyster farming systems in Sergipe. The goal is to identify which model best adapts to the region's natural conditions and disseminate it among local producers and those in the states of Alagoas, Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Paraíba, and Bahia.

The research, which is part of the AquiNordeste structuring project, will last 18 months and is being carried out in the Piauí-Piautinga estuary, located in the village of Pontal, municipality of Indiaroba. Structures have been set up at the site to house the 36 oyster seeds used during the experiment. All the work is being monitored by specialized technicians and representatives from the Santa Catarina-based company Marine Equipment, one of the largest specialists in the aquaculture sector in the country.

The tests aim to analyze the growth and reproduction of oysters using traditional systems, in which the seeds are placed in pillow-like structures, the floating system, of Canadian origin, and the BST system, which is widely used in Australia.

“What we are seeking with the experiment is to be able to indicate to entrepreneurs who wish to invest in the activity which is the best cultivation system for this region. The proposal is to increase the chances of success of investment in oysters in the state, since we have an immense wealth of estuaries that are not yet being explored,” explains Maria Lúcia Alves, analyst at Sebrae in Sergipe and manager of AquiNordeste.

To determine the viability of the systems, technicians will consider aspects such as species mortality, salinity levels, nutrients present in the water, and estuary temperature. After defining the model, those responsible for the project also intend to construct structures with more economically viable materials, such as PVC pipes and bamboo, to facilitate their use by producers.

Growth cycle

Another goal of the project is to promote future improvements to the system chosen as most viable, including reducing the oyster growth cycle, which currently lasts an average of twelve months. This would help reduce the costs of the activity and bring greater economic gains to the producers.

“The idea is that we can generate knowledge for producers and that this information can be easily used on their properties. We want to increase the number of entrepreneurs dedicated to this activity and broaden the perspectives of those already working in the area,” emphasizes Newman Costa, National Coordinator of Aquaculture and Fisheries at the Agribusiness Unit of Sebrae Nacional.

In addition to the teams from Sebrae and Marine, a group of students from the Fisheries Engineering course at the Federal University of Sergipe will also be monitoring the activities. All the equipment used during the tests will be donated to the producers of the Pontal Village at the end of the project, through a loan agreement.

“The farming systems currently used in the country are quite outdated. What we want is to seek new technologies to improve the production system and thereby bring more income to the producer,” explains Marcelo Medeiros, manager of the Aquaculture Project at Sebrae in Rio Grande do Norte.

Oyster farming in Brazil has become a well-established and viable activity. Approximately 95% of the national production originates in the state of Santa Catarina, where almost all of the mollusks are sold in restaurants. The species has a low fat content, contains Omega-3 fatty acids, and is an excellent source of protein.

In addition to being a low-cost activity, oyster farming also brings benefits to the environment, since the species is a natural filter. Each oyster has the ability to filter up to five liters of water per hour.

In Sergipe, the demand for the product is far greater than the supply, which has contributed to raising its price. Farmers in the Pontal village sell oysters to restaurants in Mangue Seco for as much as R$ 5 per unit. The group expects the project to help them further boost their activity.

“Oyster farming can become a very viable business model here in the region. Today, workers in fish farming are suffering from the low profitability of the business, since fish production has decreased significantly in recent years in Pontal. Our hope is to work together with these people and transform oyster farming into a major source of income generation,” emphasizes producer Tarsis Éder.