Q & A with our Hatchery Manager, Armando Medina
Here at Sanctuary Oysters, we pride ourselves in having the freshest oysters imaginable. We have our own Hatchery which helps us to optimize our process and ensure that the aquaculture is running smoothly. Take a dive and keep reading to learn more about our hatchery with Hatchery Manager, Armando Medina.
How did you become the Hatchery Manager for Sanctuary Oysters? I heard about the position from one of my directors at work. Back then, I was doing genetic work on shrimp for CIBNOR as well as hatchery and genetic work on oysters for Marimex del Pacifico. I found out that the manager’s position had opened up and I put in my application. Soon after, I went through the interview process with Philippe and he convinced me to come on board.
What’s your favorite thing about your work at the hatchery? I feel blessed, that as a biologist, I have the opportunity to put into practice all my knowledge and experience into something that I love. Aquaculture teaches us something every single day, so I feel lucky to have the company support and the resources to try new things knowing that though we may occasionally fail ultimately it will all be okay.
How do oysters reproduce? Oysters reproduce like many other animals using sperm and eggs. Our hatchery functions as an oyster love motel and birthing center all rolled up into one. The hatchery allows the sperm and eggs to mix in a safe tank where their odds of getting together are exponentially higher than out at sea. Those larvae spend their first weeks of life in tanks with awesome food, ideal temperature and protected from predators.
What is the process of getting oyster seeds? The larvae must set perfectly to an individual grain of sand or shell to become the seed. A huge advantage offered by the hatchery is the ability to introduce shells crushed to particles smaller than sand grains into the larval tanks, the hatchery forces the larvae to set perfectly on individual grains forming the seed.
What do “baby oysters/seed” eat? Oysters eat phytoplankton or micro-algae that is suspended in the water. They are filter feeders which means they obtain their food by filtering water through their gills.
What do you think makes Sanctuary Oysters seed special? We have a very natural and detailed process that allows us to be very selective from larvae to market size product. We are selecting seeds that have good uniform growth, are virus resistant, temperature resilient and have higher survivability. Being a vertically integrated company, we get to see all the stages of the development from start to finish, therefore providing us with more knowledge and the best seed for our farm and region.
How do you know what type of seed the farm needs? We know what type of seed the farm needs because of our tight communication with the farm. We know the characteristics of the Lagoon and which type of seeds perform best in these conditions. Our team understands this because we are in touch with the farm managers to best understand how the seed is performing on every lot planted. We take time to visit them and learn from the growers.
What makes your Hatchery Team special? Our Hatchery Team is special because we care about each other and have become one big family. Armando attributes the success of the hatchery to his Team because of their qualities…
· Great attitude
· Teamwork
· Commitment
· Leadership
Would you like to learn even more about Sanctuary Oysters? Send us an email please at info@solazul.com.mx.