TACLOBAN CITY – Producing wing blister oyster pearls is a promis­ing undertaking for Leyte fishermen.
Gov. Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla said the provincial government had made initial field trials and research on wing oyster pearl production in co­ordination with the Bureau of Fisher­ies and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR ) Eastern Visayas, and has determined it to be highly feasible and profitable.
Petilla said fishermen who will go into oyster pearl production will re­ceive training and support from the provincial government.
The venture is already being tried out Petilla said. Initial harvests were conducted in Barangay Pinarigusan, San Miguel, and the towns of Capoo­can, Carigara, Barugo, and Babat­ngon.
Experts from BFAR interviewed by Manila Bulletin agreed that pearl oys­ter farming is highly feasible and prof­itable not only in Leyte but in the other provinces in Eastern Visayas.
The experts said among the ad­vantages of pearl oyster farming is its low material inputs. The fishermen do not need helpers since the oysters are left to grow underwater and produce pearls.
The pearl and the oyster’s meat are in high demand and command high prices, while the shells can be sold to shellcraft industry.