Hundreds of tonnes of oysters are produced annually in the Ria de Aveiro, namely in Canal de Mira, in the municipality of Ílhavo, which are almost entirely destined for export, namely to markets such as France and Belgium.

As early as 1870, the Marquis de Nisa proposed to keep oysters from Aveiro and the Algarve estuaries, with a view to exporting them to France, proposing to pay a certain amount to the Kingdom's coffers for the concession.

Despite this, the consumption of oysters is not included in the diet of local populations and has been overlooked in the menus of restaurants in the municipality.

Continuing a project initiated by the previous executive, the Câmara de Ílhavo is committed to promoting the local consumption of oysters and other bivalves in the estuary, which could become a gastronomic tourist attraction.

“The main objective is notoriety, that is, we want oysters and other bivalves that are caught or produced in our Ria to be appreciated locally”, said councillor Mariana Ramos.

Mariana Ramos stressed that the production and harvesting of shellfish “is an activity that has enormous economic weight from the point of view of the involvement of many families in the municipality”, which is why the city council also wants to stimulate their local consumption.

There are currently 50 shellfish gatherers in the municipality of Ílhavo and 26 oyster producers, legally exercising the activity.