BFAR expands Vizcaya oyster farming

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ oyster production expansion project has helped villagers in coastal towns of Buguey, Gonzaga and Sta. Teresita boost their daily income.

Funded by the National Shellfish Development Program and from the regular agency funds, BFAR’s three-year massive establishment of 325 oyster culture raft demonstration and livelihood units has expanded and directly benefited residents of two more Cagayan towns recently and is seen to widen its coverage in the coming years. 

Oyster Project leader Nathaly Piñera said oyster production is no longer dominated by Buguey town alone but has expanded in the neighboring towns of Sta. Teresita and Gonzaga. 

“The area from the mouth of the Buguey Lagoon in Minanga, Buguey eastward to Sta. Teresita and Caroan in Gonzaga meets the criteria for the establishment of oyster culture units, hence we decided to locate bulk of oyster demo allocation in said areas,” Piñera said.

Leo Supnet of Barangay Villa Leonora in Buguey town said that there is an increase on oyster production since the project started three years ago.

“Since February this year, I was able to serve three bulk orders at 400 bottles oyster per order. Each gin bottle sells for P50,” he said. 

Production sites in the two expansion areas in Gonzaga and Buguey towns have the presence of indigenous spawners, brackish water with salinity of 17 ppt to 25 ppt, and temperature of 27-  32 oC, free from flood run-off and heavy siltation and with water depth 1.5 to 2.5 meters and natural barriers which made them an ideal project expansion area.  

Piñera said oyster can be harvested six to eight months from the date of establishment and harvesting can be continuous if the breeders are not harvested. 

BFAR here has also conducted Oyster Field Day to further promote the adoption of the technology as well as showcase different menus that can be prepared from oyster and initiated the introduction of oyster culture in the western part of Cagayan and the coastal areas of Isabela. 

“Oyster is a low-cost but highly lucrative project that our fisherfolk can engage into. It is low cost as it requires no artificial feeds, at all,” Piñera said.