presented by
Kamal Zaman Mohamed *
Oyster culture in Peninsular Malaysia is still in the initial
stages of development. At present total oyster production is
very low and estimated at 10 M/T a year. Figure 1 shows the
location and oyster species cultured in Malaysia.
The large oyster Crassostrea belcheri is mainly being propagated
on a part-time basis in the Muar River in the southern state of
Johore. The farmers, mostly fishermen, use the bottom culture
method using oyster shells as collectors. Oysters are collected
manually by the fishermen who dive into the culture grounds
during low tide. Only marketable-sized oysters (10–14 cm) are
collected. Empty shells are put back on the river bed as spat
collectors. Other materials for spat collection have been tested
apart from oyster shells, such as netlon coated with lime,
asbestos sheets and polyethylene nets.
In Sabah, the basic technique of oyster culture using the rack and raft with tray methods has been established, however, the high cost of production has greatly discouraged public investments. Research is still being carried out to cut down on production cost and make the culture more profitable. In addition, the occurrence of red tides have even made it more risky to invest in oyster farming.
In Sarawak, experimental oyster culture has been carried out by the Department of Fisheries. Culture methods using rafts, poles and racks have been tried. However, limited seed supply and limited suitable culture sites have hindered further development of oyster culture. Only Saccostrea cucullata is found in abundance. However, due to its small size (average of 45 mm in one year) it is considered unsuitable for culture. Although Sarawak has extensive mangrove swamps and a long coastline, sheltered areas suitable for oyster culture have not been identified. In addition, the high tidal range (5.5 m) is considered a disadvantage to oyster culture.
* Fisheries Officer at the Fisheries Research Institute, Glugor, Penang.
The present market for oysters in Malaysia is limited mainly due to consumer preferences. A recent marketing survey showed that 95% of oyster consumers are Chinese; the rest being Malays and Indians. Therefore, oyster market promotion and introduction of new recipes to potential consumers should be considered if the oyster industry is to develop. The retail price of fresh oyster meat (42–48 oysters) is sold for $M 2.00 (approximately $M 45/kg). Malaysia imports an unspecified amount of dried oysters from South Korea (95%) and also from Japan and China. It has been reported that consumers favour the South Korean dried oysters for their quality and size.
It is hoped that adapting established culture methods from neighboring countries and identifying more suitable culture grounds will help boost the commercial propagation of oysters in Malaysia.
Figure 1. General map of Malaysia showing oyster culture sites and cultured species.
