Bais City with its two bays on the southeastern coast of Negros Island is historically the main source of shellfish in Negros Oriental, Philippines. Indigenous oyster species include the large, desirable Crassostrea iredalei (Talaba) and C. malabonensis (Kuko Kabayo) and the small, less desirable C. echinata, C. lugubrius and C. cucullata. Currently the dominant oysters are the smaller less desirable species.