Seleção de áreas potenciais para o cultivo de ostra nativa, crassostrea spp. e sururu, Mytella falcata, em Raposa, Maranhão

Abstract

This paper identifies potential areas for the cultivation of mangrove oyster, Crassostrea spp. and mussel, Mytella falcata, in Raposa county, Maranhão in order to promote the development of sustainable mariculture in this state. For this we referred to 16 environmental descriptors and a database containing data for use and occupation of land, conservation areas and hydrological network that originated the local landscape units. As a result we reached the definition of three bands for potential cultivation of oysters and mussels in this area which have been proposed to demarcate 13 collective aquaculture areas, three in Mujijáia, five in Igarapé das Ostras and five in Igarapé da Juçara, rounding up to 5.75 hectares of effective covering. The adopted biotic and abiotic descriptors revealed outstanding characteristics in the region for the installation of farming systems, and they may also occur in line with other activities such as tourism, fishing and shellfish, permitting increased family income and job opportunities.