Oyster industry expands on Cagayan coast

OYSTER farming in Cagayan is expanding thanks to the efforts of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which is working to establish more than 600 oyster raft livelihood projects in the province this year to supplement the income of local fishermen, the bureau said in an interview with The Manila Times last week.

Oysters from the province are becoming bigger and bigger in size, described by Cagayan fisherfolk as too large to “fit into the mouth of a regular gin bottle,” encouraging the BFAR to work to boost the local industry. Oysters used to be found only in the coastal town of Buguey, which has long been known for seafood such as crab and seaweed.