ABSTRACT
The main source of protein in Sierre Leone is fish, and as the population continues to grow, so does the demand for fish. Oyster culture began in Sierra Leone in February 1974 to increase the yield, growth rate, and size of the local mangrove oyster Crassostrea tulipa and to establish a practical and economical system for their cultivation, using various culture systems, biological investigations, processing studies, and sanitary and bacteriological surveys. Mangrove oysters grow on the mangrove roots of most rivers and estuaries along the coast. The objective of the experimental phase of the oyster culture project has to a large extent been achieved: oysters can be raised successfully, and the resulting product is desirable in the markets. Oyster condition may be measured quantitatively by comparing the amount of dried meat to the volume of shell cavity. Oyster processing at the Fisheries Division was done under hygienic conditions, with the end product stored in heat-sealed polyethylene bags.
