The oyster farming is considered an activity that may be relevant in the Bay of La PazBaja California Sur, to generate benefits to the ecosystem The project can also generate a positive impact on the community by creating jobs and generating income as an alternative to fishing. However, the results obtained so far indicate that there are challenges that need to be resolved in order to effectively achieve a profitable activity.

The environmental benefit is given by the ability of these mollusks to filter large volumes of water, as they help reduce turbidity by consuming phytoplankton and organic matter. "An adult oyster can filter between 20 and 50 liters of water per day, depending on its size, health and environmental conditions", thus bivalves contribute to the control of essential nutrients, such as nitrates and phosphates, avoiding the proliferation of harmful algae that can affect the health of the marine ecosystem. In this way they improve water quality and maintain the balance of nutrients in the ecosystem.

Oyster farms attract marine life

In Ensenada de La Paz, since 2020 men's groups (OPRE) and in 2024 women's groups (Guardianas del Conchalito) and the Mangle Cenizo Cooperative have undertaken oyster farming projects to diversify their productive options.

The environmental services The benefits provided by the oyster are added to all the community's activities, ranging from mangrove restoration, restoration of the callo de hacha population, sanitation of tunicates, and the removal of stranded boats. The result is that today we have an inlet in the process of restoration, healthier than in past years, with greater abundance and biodiversity.

"In the end, this, together with oyster farming, has helped to bring about changes that have been seen, such as the increase in mollusks, or the presence of turtles, which many years ago were no longer seen in the cove, or the presence of birds known as 'oystercatchers' (Haematopus ostralegus), which are a species catalogued as 'endangered' and are finding refuge in the cove," says biologist Silvia Ramírez.

Because of the type of structures used, oyster farming provides conditions for an increase in marine life. Since it generates a shade effect, as in the oyster beds, providing a refuge for invertebrates that serve as food for species such as crabs, snappers, botetes and other fish.

Another very important benefit is the generation of a new economic activity in the cove, which is due to the change in the relationship that the community of the Manglito has established with its resources and that is reflected in behaviors and attitudes of care and respect for its environment.

The coordinator of NOS Sustainable Northwest The environmental, social, and even educational value of oyster farming in the region is La Paz is noteworthy because it promotes a focus on sustainability, generates responsible practices and opens up opportunities for diversification and the development of more sustainable markets.