Commercial production of snail, oyster increases in Cox's Bazar

COX'S BAZAR, Aug 19: The precious resource of Cox's Bazar sea coast is snails and oysters. The seashore is home to naturally grown snails and oysters.

Many coastal people have found a way of livelihood by collecting snails and oysters from these habitats as commercial demand for oysters increases.

Mussel shells are used to make lime, ornaments and home decoration materials. The fleshy part of the mussel is also used as feed for shrimp, fish and poultry. Mussel meat is used as a protein-rich food in many countries around the world. In Bangladesh, small ethnic groups usually eat oyster meat.

Many people in Maheshkhali, Sonadia, Matarbari, Qutubdia, Ukhia, Pekua, Chakaria, Teknaf, St. Martin's Island, Shahpari Island have been making a living by collecting oysters.

Oyster meat is rich in minerals and protein. Not only abroad, this dish is becoming popular in Bangladesh day by day. Even 5 years ago, the price of one kg of oyster meat was Taka 250-300. At present, one kg of oyster meat is sold for Tk 2000-2500. The prices of other oyster products have also increased.

Zamir Uddin, an oyster collector in Maheshkhali, said, "My family runs by collecting snails and oysters. I collect oysters from the roots of trees near the jetty and the sea. White oysters are used to make lime, and meat from some other oysters is harvested and sold. We can sell oyster meat for Taka 2000 to 2500 per kg.

Shahabuddin, an oyster trader in Teknaf, said that we collect snails and oysters from the sea and make lime, home decoration materials and ornaments and sell them. Oyster meat is also in demand.

Information from Cox's Bazar Marine Fisheries and Technology Center said, "In many countries, sea oysters are used as an expensive seafood and various farms have been developed based on it. In the 1990s, India began commercial production of sea mussels. There has been no research done in the country on the possibility of brackish water oyster farming.

However, a survey was conducted on the possibility of commercially extracting pearls from the sea. In the survey, a century ago, scientists found five types of oysters that naturally produce pearls in the Bankkhali river estuary, Maheshkhali, Sonadia and Ghativanga in Cox's Bazar.

Among them, they also found pearls in a kind of oyster called Kartal. In the sandy bottom at a depth of 1 meter to 2 meters of water and salinity of 18 to 22 ppt, a mussel averages 5 to 12 pearls. However, the availability of oysters and pearls from natural sources has decreased to a large extent due to various reasons such as environmental degradation, habitat change, indiscriminate harvesting of oysters, etc.

Chief Scientific Officer of Cox's Bazar Marine Fisheries Technology Center Shafiqur Rahman said almost the entire sea-coast including Maheshkhali, Sonadia, Matarbari, Qutubdia, Ukhia, Pekua, Chakria, Teknaf, St. Martin's Island, Shahpari Island is the habitat of precious oysters.

Coastal people have been collecting snails and oysters from these areas for ages. At high tide, snails and oysters come ashore.

Mr Shafiq said oysters are very important for both humans and the aquatic environment.

"Oysters play a role in removing heavy metals. So oysters act as natural water purifiers. Mussels are also an important component of the aquatic food chain and they connect to different levels of the aquatic food chain. Therefore, harvesting oysters from the natural environment harms the environment. Environment conservation and development of people's livelihood is possible through oyster cultivation," he added.

He also said, "We have already started cultivation of white and green colored oysters in Khurushkul in Cox's Bazar city. Very good results are available in the beginning. Hopefully, our journey will start commercially. Many people will get employment opportunities in this project."

In Bangladesh in 1999, pearl farming started experimentally in fresh water. The country has 6 species of freshwater mussels and 142 species of saltwater mussels.

Most of the world's subtropical and subtropical marine waters are home to oysters. They roam in shallow to 80 meters deep in the ocean. Out of about 30 marine mussel species, 3 marine mussel species play a role in commercial pearl production.

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