Marine aquaculture. (Photo: Madson Maranhao/secom.to.gov.br)
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA) intends to achieve an eightfold increase in marine aquaculture production in the state of Sergipe, changing from 700 tonnes produced in 2011 to almost 6,000 tonnes per year.
This was announced by representatives of MPA at a public meeting attended by about 200 farmers and fishermen, government representatives, universities, institutes and political leaders in the area.
As part of the meeting, the Ministry announced the expansion of the access of producers to the so-called 'Sea Waters over the domain of the Union', for growing native oyster.
As it was explained by the National Secretary of MPA Aquaculture Planning and Management, Maria Fernanda Nince, apart from encouraging a production leap, the central government is "boosting the creation of about 4,500 direct and indirect jobs, generating more revenue and movements in the state economy."
The authorities plan to offer the concession, by tender or public assembly, of 500 hectares of areas located in eight aquaculture sites in the municipalities of Estancia, Indiaroba Santa Luzia do Itanhy and Pacatuba.
All these parks total 885 aquaculture areas with capacity to produce 5,951 tonnes of oysters per year.
For its part, the General Coordinator of Aquaculture Planning and Management in Marine Waters of Union, Luciene Mignani, stressed that small farmers will be benefitted with 93 per cent of the granted areas.
In the municipality of Estancia the highest number of aquaculture parks is located: Piauí 4, 5 and 6, with 379 areas totalling 222.32 hectares and a production capacity of over 2,700 tonnes of oysters per year.
The other parks are located in the municipalities of Indiaroba (Piauí 1 and 2), Santa Luzia do Itanhy (Piauí 3) and Pacatuba (São Francisco 1 and 2).
Mignani emphasized that breeding oysters in aquaculture farms offers several advantages, among which she mentioned that it is not necessary to use fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. In addition, this activity does not also demand the contribution of aquaculture feed or the use of antibiotics or other medications.
"We are democratizing the discussion on the Aquaculture Marine Park management so that we can structure the entire production chain, contribute to environmental monitoring these parks and encourage Best Management Practices of fish," concluded Nince.