
Agribusiness
Innovation
November 14, 2025
How Florianópolis became a hub for oyster farming
Research and production at UFSC strengthened the activity, which today is vital for the local economy
The Marine Mollusk Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) has made Florianópolis a national reference in the production of Pacific oysters. Today, 95% of the oysters consumed in Brazil come from the island in Santa Catarina. The activity is vital for the local economy, generating employment and income. According to Sebrae/SC, there are more than 60,000 small businesses linked to the sea in the region.
The work began as a study analyzing alternative livelihoods for artisanal fishermen, who were suffering from the decline in the availability of marine fish on the coast. Initially, tests were conducted with shellfish, and in 1987, the university began importing oyster larvae of the gigas variety for cultivation. The species adapted well to Santa Catarina, and the producers adapted to its cultivation, generating employment, income, and social results for the region.
In 1999, the import of young or adult individuals became prohibited in Brazil for sanitary reasons, which transformed Florianópolis into one of the country’s only suppliers. Today, oyster farming is one of the most important sectors in the municipality’s economy and helps feed an ecosystem that, according to the Sebrae/SC Tourism Observatory, has 60,203 small businesses linked to the sea.
In addition to cultivation, the laboratory also conducts research, in association with the university’s Department of Aquaculture, which offers an undergraduate course in aquaculture engineering and a postgraduate program in aquaculture. The team is multidisciplinary and has four professors. One of them is researcher Claudio de Melo, who works with genetic improvement and animal selection. Follow below the conversation between the professor and the presenter Soraia Fessel, for the magazine Estratégias e Soluções (E&S).
About the interviewee
Claudio Manoel Rodrigues de Melo holds a degree and a master’s degree in Animal Science. He completed his doctoral degree and postdoctoral studies in Animal Science and Pastures. He works as a full professor in the Department of Aquaculture at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, where he also coordinates projects on genetic improvement and mollusk reproduction.
Who published this videocast
Renata de Gaspari Valdejão Almeida







