The World is Your Oyster: Developing Seafood Culture in Florianopolis

By Matthew Brown                                            Back to JOUR 440 Page

Florianopolis, the state capital of Santa Catarina, provides about 80 percent of all the oysters consumed in Brasil. Although the island is blessed with prime geographic location and calm cold waters rich with the phytoplankton necessary to sustain a bounty of seafood, there was a concentrated effort in the last decade to reintroduce mariculture, as oyster production is also known, back to Florianopolis. With several generations of fishing families dependent on the sea to maintain their traditional lifestyles, the fishing and shellfish industries have been complimented by the cultivation of seafood in marine farms.

An oyster farm in Florianopolis, Brasil. The introduction of oyster farming has provided jobs for many traditional fishing families

(Photo by Raul Reis)

The University Federal Santa Catarina in Florianopolis has programs that aid in the creation and maintenance of a healthy seafood culture which provides the Brasilian economy with approximately 80 percent of its oyster production. To help the mariculture return to the island of Florianopolis, UFSC has two major programs, the Moluscos Marinhos Laboratorio in Barra da Lagoa, where they breed the larvae for the marine farmers and the Laboratorio de Virologia Aplicada which maintains a laboratory on campus which tests the farms monthly for bacteria and viruses. The work associated with the development of seafood culture involves the professionals of more than 20 departments of the university.

Headed by Dr. Jaime Fernando Ferreira, the Moluscos Marinhos Laboratorio has been essential in the recuperation of the traditional local fishing culture, being recognized for its achievements over the last 15 years. The volunteer work of students such as Simone Suhnel and Fernanda Campello in aquaculture has helped raise the production of oysters on Florianopolis up from 2 million to 40 million since 1991.

Students at work in the Marine Life Lab at UFSC (Photos by Matthew Brown)

“We help ensure a high quality of a variety of Japanese and Brasilian oysters, mussels, scallops and fish for the producers from the coastal villages,” Fernanda Campello said.

On a tour through the facilities in Barra da Lagoa, Fernanda Campello pointed out the resourceful techniques used in the breeding process to produce disease free larvae and the nutrients necessary for the spawning process, as well as the utilization of solar power in the Moluscos Marinhos Laboratorio.

VIROLOGY LAB

At the Laboratorio de Virologia Aplicada, Dr. Claudia Simoes and Dr. Celia Barardi work together with the students testing the water and seafood for contaminates which may be dangerous to the health of the community, ensuring the quality and safety for the livelihood of producers. In the waters where only 20 percent of the raw sewage is treated, testing for bacteria such as salmonella and viruses like hepatitis A is crucial to the maintenance of the seafood culture of Florianopolis.

Dr. Celia Barardi and Dr. Claudia Simoes are responsible for UFSC's Virology Lab that tests the waters and seafood to detect harmful pathogens (Photos by Matthew Brown)

“Some of the people are afraid that our testing would destroy the local oyster business, but we work to ensure the quality for a healthy community,” Dr. Celia Barardi said.

Dr. Barardi has been dedicated to the department for 16 years and has spent time in Australia and Spain working on her post doctorates in the field. The work at UFSC helps to qualify the seafood with certifications ensuring the quality of the seafood necessary to gain access to markets in Brasil and abroad.

PhD student Caroline Rigotto Borges and Masters student Adriana Correa work with technologies provided by Blue Water Aquaculture to carry out the tests. Along with a team of other students, they work in the development of the process where they test the digestive systems of the seafood and the purity of water for contamination.

The oysters tested mainly come from the seaside villages of Sambaqui, Sto. Antonio de Lisboa and Ribeirao da Ilha, home to some of the larger marine farms of the island.

Sto. Antonio de Lisboa Beach, in Florianopolis. The oyster beds seen at a distance have breathed new economic life into the village

(Photo by Raul Reis)

LATIN AMERICAN EFFORT

In an effort to improve the work of the university towards cleaner water and quality, Dr. Claudia Simoes explained her work representing Brasil in creating a network of Latin American countries involving CYTED and working towards eradicating diarrhea causing bacteria and viruses in the waters of South America.

A visiting professor from Argentina and former employee of the CDC in Georgia, Prof. Alejandro Castello praised the work of UFSC and , Dr. Claudia Simoes in forming the network and sharing technology and information.

“Together with the other South American nations, we are seeking investment from Spain and other European nations for the technology and funding necessary for a successful network to share and implement our findings and ideas,” Prof. Alejandro Castello said.

Seven countries are participating in the organization (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, España and Uruguay).

The world is your oyster in Florianopolis, as the seafood culture continues to evolve and make Brasil poised for the global market. With annual events such as Fenaostra now being held in November in Florianopolis since 1999, UFSC works hard to maintain the quality of the seafood to make the local market the pearl in the world of oysters.