The Maternity of the Portuguese Oyster

The Portuguese oyster is that best appreciated by the French, the largest European consumers of this gastronomic speciality. However, because its development is slightly slower and smaller in size than its rivals, Portugal is now importing sprat Asian oysters from France and raising them along the Algarve coastline, where they are able to grow more rapidly before sending them back to their country of origin for consumption. And the local Portuguese oyster is steadily disappearing off the three still existing beds.

Lisbon’s Márcia Santos and Madeira’s Maurício Namora, while students of Marine Biology at the University of the Algarve, decided to reverse this situation and corresponding developing the «the Algarve oyster maternity» project, which is already an award winner. Beyond the scientific dimension to the project, the idea of these two researchers focuses primarily on the business front through adapting the Portuguese species to the laboratory reproduction techniques already applied to Asian oysters and as closely as in neighbouring Spain. However, they maintain that this shall contribute to a recovery in the Portuguese oyster numbers.

“Our objective is not to replace the oysters already existing in the marketplace but rather to launch a complementary and gourmet project at a higher pricing level” the two young researchers confided as they set about drafting their viability study designed to attract investors and generate the millions necessary to getting the operation going.

ECO123 naturally did not miss out on the opportunity to approach the environmental facet with our interviewees not only claiming to be ecologists but also unanimously stating: “In growing molluscs, cultivation is carried out through extension; we only have to respect the capacity of the environmental load to avoid withdrawing too much of the food and then harming other species. And the molluscs, with the exception of in maternity, only eat whatever is carried in the water and the Algarve’s very rich waters ensure oysters are easily able to extract all the inputs required. And it proves impossible to feed them artificially as they feed by filtration”.

About the author

José Garrancho, originally from Sines, resident in Portimão, aged 63, married with one son. Retired hotel director, trainer, journalist and photographer.