The Virginia Marine Products Board will be heavily promoting oysters at the Boston Seafood Show on March 19-21, said executive director Mike Hutt.

The show, which draws a large contingent from throughout the United States and abroad, is an excellent way to promote oysters and other seafood, Hutt said. The goal is to engage seafood buyers, retailers, distributors and chefs in one-on-one conversation while they sample a selection of Virginia oysters.

Virginia offers both native oysters and those raised through aquaculture, he said, a combination which provides oysters for market throughout the year. He said that native and aquaculture oysters have similar taste, but aquaculture oysters have thinner shells, are harder to open, and are often sold at raw bars.

VMPB will also be promoting a variety of other shellfish and finfish, Hutt said. One item that has lost a bit of interest is ray, he said, which has been marketed for Asian communities in this country and overseas.

“This sho...