Oysters abound at the Mirabilis experimental maternity in Tavira. But, unlike those with which many of the trainees of the Bivalves Production and Catching course work on a daily basis, from For-Mar Olhão, these oysters are still very small and many of them are not even visible to the naked eye.
O Professional Training Center for Fisheries and the Sea de Olhão recently launched the first course, specifically thinking about nurserymen and shellfish collectors, as well as bivalve aquaculture. And, more than transmitting theory, For-Mar made a point of going out into the field and showing the more scientific side of oyster production to its trainees.
For this, it joined the company Mirabilis, an spin off of the University of the Algarve which proposes to install a Portuguese oyster maternity hospital in the Algarve (Crassostrea Angulata).
A startups algarvia is carrying out the project “Angulata R&D – Innovation in the Production of Portuguese Oysters in Maternity”, in partnership with the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere and with the support of the Operational Program Mar 2020, which «intends to extend the season of reproduction of Portuguese oysters in a maternity environment and thus enable the production of this species, which was once so important», explains Márcia Santos, from Mirabilis.
“Angulata R&D” has a cost of around one hundred thousand euros, around 36,8 of which are guaranteed by the European Union and 12,2 by the Portuguese State.
“The project is based on the packaging of breeders and that is what we are working on. We are having excellent results, in terms of conditioning and maturation of the breeders, with different temperatures and feedings», added the marine biologist trained at UAlg, in statements to Sul Informação.
It was the results of this project that Mirabilis presented to the trainees of the Bivalves Production and Catching course, first in sessions at For-Mar itself and, last Saturday, on a visit to the Mirabilis laboratory, installed at the Tavira do Molluscculture Experimental Station IPMA, which has been a partner of startups Algarve since the first hour.
«During the visit and during the interventions we made at ForMar, in Olhão, we spoke to the trainees about our daily life at Mirabilis, within the scope of our scientific research project, and presented the results of the first phase of the “ Angulata R&D”. Today the trainees had the opportunity to see live what we have already achieved», he explained to Sul Informação Maurício Namora, co-founder of the company.
And the interest of the students in the course, many of them already with experience in the area of oyster production, was evident in the reactions and the many questions they asked.
«We already had an idea that oyster seeds were produced here in the Algarve. but see on the spot it's much more interesting. I thank For-Mar for the opportunity and for having provided these moments, because this is very important for our activity», confessed Hélder Felizardo.
Hélder is a nurseryman, an activity to which he has dedicated himself «more seriously for three or four years» and which he allies with work in the maritime-tourism sector, to which he has been «always connected». "I am very interested in this culture and we are on the right path," he said.
Ana Soares, whose husband works in the production of oysters, is also very interested in the area. “I'm also thinking of working in this sector and I think it's important that we know a little more about what we're going to work on. And there is also the aspect of knowing what we are consuming», he said.
«I worked in aquaculture and the fact that my husband has been working in this area for over 13 years also contributed to my interest in this course», said Ana Soares.
Thus, in the view of these trainees, it was a good time that For-Mar and the young Algarve company got together to think about this course.
«We got together one day and we thought that, for that normal plan that we have – which is the usual, the fisherman, the production –, we were missing a bit in the area of aquaculture and shellfish. So, together with Mirabilis, we defined this course, to respond to existing needs», he explained to Sul Informação Angelina Ramos, regional coordinator of To form.
This is a training action of 175 hours, which are given «approximately over two months».
«We took a first course, but with only 125 hours, because we were already very close to the end of the year. This course did not have two modules that we later found to be very important, shipping and debugging. This second group will already have this training and the previous one will come on the 22nd to do these two modules», added Angelina Ramos.
This is a course that has “a strong practical component. The trainees have been in the laboratory and done a series of experiments».
And then there is a part of contact with companies, where they can get to know the reality of the sector. Thus, "it's not just a matter of listening to what should be done, it's also hands-on, especially in terms of health control."
This last aspect is of particular interest to Ana Rendeiro and Ana Paula – “they're all Anas here”, jokes Angelina Ramos -, although for different reasons.
Ana Rendeiro is a nurseryman and explores the nurseries her grandfather used to work on. “It makes a difference what we learn in this course, in relation to what was passed on to us by our parents and grandparents”, he assures.
«Here we learn about the biology of bivalves. It is also important to know about diseases and why they happen, so that we can fight them. Sometimes we know there is mortality, but we don't know why. With training, it's different,” he added.
“I think that nurserymen and shellfish gatherers should invest in training and see the point of view not only of those who work in the field, but also the technical and environmental ones. There are things I had no idea about, even though I was in contact with oysters every day. The course opens our eyes to other realities», concluded Ana Rendeiro.
Ana Paula, on the other hand, is an engineer and works in the area of sanitary control. Born in Brazil, she joined the For-Mar course because she is «one interested in this area».
“There are several advantages to taking this course. Portugal is a country that lives very much towards the coast. If you don't value this ancient culture, it's a big waste. I see this even as a foreigner that I am», believes this student of the Bivalves Production and Collection course.
“Here we learn good practices, we discuss the species that are used – whether it is better to use species from here or bring from other places -, and there is an exchange between the nurseries themselves. This can help them solve common problems», concluded Ana Paula.
On Saturday, the trainees who visited Mirabilis did not hide their good mood. And who knows if future clients of Mirabilis will not be here, which dreams of breathing new life into the production of Portuguese oysters, an industry that once had a great expression.
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação
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