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Oyster-mussel farming in , Japan, Cuba, and Scotland

By E Aldon and R Buendia Tropical countries like the Philippines are PHILIPPINES Oyster M ussel suitable for oyster and mussel culture be­ Production by cause seed supply is available year-round region/province Production Value Price Production Value Price and the temperature is ideal for mollusc 1997 (metric tons) (thousand P) (/kg) (metric tons) (thousand P) (/kg) farming. For oysters, two crops per year is possible. Philippines 13,853 72,000 5.20 11.856 44,113 3.76 The Philippines is still generally us­ REGION I 3,738 22,805 0.10 - – – ing traditional methods for both oyster and Ilocos Norte 5 50 10.00 - - - mussel culture, using bamboo stake, bam­ Ilocos Sur 20 240 12.00 - - - boo lattice, and hanging methods. Farmers La Union 232 2,109 9.09 - - - can grow oysters to about 6-9 cm in 4-8 Pangasinan 3.481 20,408 5.86 - - months. REGION II 5 57 11.40 - - - Four of the 11 local species of oyster Cagayan 5 57 11.40 - - of commercial value are: the slipper-shaped REGION III 2,491 12,174 4.89 - - - oyster iredalei (talabang Bulacan 2,491 12,174 4.89 - - - tsinelas); the sub-trigonal oblong oyster Zambales b/ c/ - Saccostrea malabonensis (kukong kabayo); REGION IV 4,098 21,000 5.13 2.021 17,751 8.78 the palm-rooted oyster S. palmipes (pulid- Cavite 4.098 21,000 5.13 2,021 17,751 8.78 pulid) and curly or wild oyster S. cucullata 57 301 5.28 1,072 7,002 8.53 (kulot). The slipper-shaped and sub- REGION V Sorsogon 57 301 5.28 1,072 7,002 8.53 trigonal oblong oyster are cultured because of their excellent flavor and appearance REGION VI 3,147 13,439 4.27 8,137 12,870 2.10 which are ideal for processing and export. Aklan 98 374 3.92 787 1,573 2.00 1,322 8,455 4.89 4,260 8,045 2.12 Mussel farming is more recent than Capiz Iloilo 415 2,336 8.19 1 3 3.00 with Perm viridis or the Negros Occ. 1,269 3,965 3.09 1,089 2,249 2.07 green mussel as the common culture spe­ Guimaras 23 89 3.00 - - cies in the country. REGION VII 83 485 7.39 - - The profile of production in the coun­ Bohol 83 465 7.39 - - try by region is shown in the table. Cebu - - - - - Negros Or. – – M alaysia REGION VIII - - - 2,423 6,423 2.65 Oyster farming has just started in Malay­ Western Samar - 2 ,423 6,423 2.65 sia and generally employs the traditional REGION IX 142 1,079 7.80 4 50 15.00 broadcast method. In some areas like Pulau Zamboanga Norte 142 1,079 7.80 4 50 15.00 Langkawi and Kedah, Johor, Sabah, Melaka, Terrenganu and Perah, raft culture REGION X 12 90 7.50 - - - Surigao del Norte 12 90 7.50 – – – method is being done. With the progress in the culture of Crassostrea belcheri and REGION XI 102 390 5.78 Saccrostrea cucullata according to Davao del Sur 102 390 5.78 – – Delmendo (1989), is starting to National Capital Region - - 1 7 7.00 go into commercial production of oysters Metro Manila – 1 7 7.00 using the more modem rack and raft meth­ – ods. Spats are obtained from natural sources Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. Oyster / mussel 1997 production and value. and from a hatchery. According to Nawawi

22 SEAFDEC Asian Vol. XX No. 4 August 1998 aquafarm news • oyster and mussel

Long-line mussel culture in Scotland

(1993), there are presently two hatcheries C. iredalei and S. cucullata using stake ods such as rock culture, culture on cement, in Malaysia ( Research Institute method is now being used. tray culture and hanging method. Studies in Penang and Muka Head Station of Sci­ The government is putting high prior­ showed the possibility to mass produce ence University of Malaysia in Penang). ity on seafarming development and is test­ large oyster spats from hatcheries. Rafts, floating longlines and bottom ing the modem culture systems such as the longlines are used to suspend cultches. The raft method for oyster cultivation. and Brunei choice of methods depends upon cost, du­ Although mussel culture was successfully rability of materials and environmental con­ Thailand tried in Singapore, the market did not prove ditions. Grow-out rafts can be used for spat Oyster (S. commercialis, C. belcherii, and attractive, discouraging farmers to go into collection with cultches hung from the raft C. lugubris) and the green (P. large-scale production. Among the raft, frame. viridis) are the most important molluscs in long-line, pole and bouchot culture sys­ The rack-and-raft method produces Thailand. Spat collection peaks in Febru­ tems, the raft culture system was found about 18 tons per ha per yr. ary or March and September or October. economically feasible. Harvests are usually sold freshly Culture method is semi-traditional. Brunei on the other hand is just devel­ shucked to restaurant and hotels. Growing Rocks, cement poles and cement pipes are oping aquaculture. The oyster and mussel of other oyster species such as widely used as spat collectors. Spats are culture is targeted at producing high qual­ folium and C. iredalei is now being ex­ removed from collectors when they reach ity for domestic consumption. plored. 5-8 cm in length and refixed on cement Oyster and mussel spatfalls occur all tubes, bamboo poles or net. Harvest is done Japan year round. For oysters, the peak seasons when oysters reach 11-18 cm in length. The oyster culture industry is well-devel­ are in March-May and September-Decem­ Less than 11 cm oysters are refixed until oped in Japan (SRDC 1991). It started with ber. Heaviest spatfalls occur 2-3 weeks af­ they attain marketable size. the broadcast method, but has since shifted ter a sudden heavy rainfall. For mussel C. belecherii and C. lugubris are usu­ to raft and long-line methods. spats, the peak seasons are in November- ally sold in shell while S. commercialis are Farm units have 10-100 rafts each February and May-June. sold shucked. which is operated by fisher cooperative The green mussels comprise over 50% groups. Culture period is 2 years per crop. Indonesia of the total mollusc production. Fishers use Japanese researchers have already de­ Oyster is not popular in this country and the stake method and “fish trap.” Mussels veloped reliable techniques to forecast mollusc production is mainly from the wild. and oysters are produced in south Thailand. spatfall. Spatfall usually occurs only once Mussel culture is still experimental while Delmendo reports that there are 7,046 ha traditional farming of oyster species like of oyster farms using various culture meth­ page 24

SEAFDEC Asian Aquaculture Vol. XX No. 4 August 1998 23 aquafarm news • oyster and mussel

Oyster/mussel . . . from p 23 REFERENCES FURTHER or twice every summer. Hatchery meth­ Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Diliman, READING Quezon City, Philippines, fax message, 27 ods have also been standardized. July 1998. Japan's major farming grounds are lo­ Delmendo M. 1989. Bivalve farming: An alterna­ cated in Hiroshima and Miyagi prefectures. tive economic activity for small scale coastal fishermen in the ASEAN region. ASEAN/SF/ The major species cultured is C. gigas, the 89/Tech. 11 Japanese or . Frias JA and R R odriguez. 1991. Oyster cul­ ture in Cuba: current state, techniques and Cuba industry organization. In Newkirk GF and BAEXCELLENT REFERENCE Field (eds.) Oyster culture in the Caribbean.The work of the Seafarming Research Cuba farms the oyster (C. Karayucel S. 1997. Mussel culture in Scotland. rhizophorea). To collect spats, farmers use World Aquaculture 28 (1). Development Center (SRDC) based in the mangrove branches or aluminum wires. Nawawi M, 1993. A guide to oyster culture in Ma­Philippines on oyster culture is detailed in Oysters are harvested when they have laysia. Bay of Bengal Programme. the book 'The science and business of Seafarming Research Development Centergrowing oysters' published in 1991. reached 40 mm, the minimum legal size. (SRDC). 1991. The science and business of Usually there are two to three harvests in growing oysters. SRDC/Philippine It contains information not taken up 6-8 months depending on settlement dis­ Resource Development Center. Manila. in this issue, for example: tribution and levels. • o y ste r purification and processing. A Cuban farmers also use the raft method recirculating depuration system designed and to grow oysters. The raft is made of steel tested by SRDC is discussed. There is also a pipes with an operational area of 18 m2. For depuration plant layout. buoyancy, polyestyrene blocks are attached • oyster products: how to smoke oysters; pro­ cedure for smoked oysters in oil and to the raft. Spat collectors are 1 meter long for preparing ; preparation of oys­ monofilament nylon with 10 shells spaced Successful markets . . . from p 21 ter by-products like grits/powder. Discus­ 7 cm apart. sion also covers finished product specifica­ only half of the products eaten during the tions. Scotland year-end activities. Oysters are also ex­ • areas in the Philippines that are suitable and The blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in Scot­ ported to neighboring countries primarily unsuitable for oyster culture • recommended recipes land have long been used as bait for line in restaurants which serve . . Dense beds are found in in the west coast. These mussels, however, SEEN AND NOTED are small and of poor quality due to over­ REFERENCES crowding. Mussel culture started when Chew KK. 1996. Pacific Oyster in International processing seeds were transplanted to better growing . Aquaculture Magazine 22 (5)71-plant in Capiz areas. 80. Mussel farmers use the bottom and de Franssu L. 1990. The World Market forThe opening of a seafood processing plant Bivalves-Oyster-Mussel-- suspended (raft or longline) methods. Rafts FAO/GLOBEFISH Research Programme two years ago in Panit-an Capiz, west cen­ are made of tube metals converted from Vol. 4, pp 12-15. tral Philippines indicates that bivalve farm­ cages, timber, or galvanized steel. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).ing is an economically important industry. Polypropylene blocks serve as buoys. Rafts Aquaculture Production Statistics, 1985-Currently, the company’s average produc­ 1994. FAO / United Nations Fisheries Cir­ cany 100-200 culture ropes called drop­ cular No. 815, Revision 8. Fishery Infor­tion of processed mussel and oyster is 2 pers. mation, Data and Statistics Unit, FAO Fish­tons a day. Product forms include canned The long-line culture system is illus­ eries Department. Rome, 1996. smoked mussel and oyster in water or brine trated on the previous page. A 10 ton har­ Monfort MC. 1998. Making more of a market forwith various kinds of oil. All the plants mussels. Seafood International, May 1998, vest from a 200 meter long-line is feasible, p 26-27. output are exported to , South Af­ with a net income of $13,040-17,930 per Sullivan D and T Killey. 1996. Status of Austral­rica, Japan or Europe. crop (Karayucel 1997). ian Aquaculture in 1994-1995. Aquaculture The company is now establishing and Trade Directory 1996. p 2-12. developing its own farms because of short­ age of raw materials (processing capacity is 5 tons a day) and to meet increasing de­ mand.

24 SEAFDEC Asian Aquaculture Vol. XX No. 4 August 1998