![]() ![]() The key to the breeding of oysters, whether on public or private beds, is to have enough breeding stock in a suitable place and to maximize the area of sheltered clean, hard surfaces on which larvae can settle to form spat. Once young oysters are 1/2 inch or more in size, they are known as brood and are bought and sold for laying down to grow and fatten. In countries such as England, Ireland, and France, oyster cultivation consists of two stages: obtaining young oysters, and tending them as they grow and fatten.Īccording to Neild’s The English, The French, and The Oyster, there are two traditional methods of obtaining young oysters: by dredging a natural bed for spat and part-grown oysters and by collecting on a private bed any spat that formed when larvae drifted in from natural beds or from private beds nearby. A natural supply of mature oysters is rare in Europe nowadays. In Europe, the coarse, cheap oysters of the mid-nineteenth century were a product of that kind of fishing, but they were fished out. Our ancestors originally gathered oysters by picking them up full-grown on the shore at low tide or by lifting them from natural beds at sea. They do particularly well in estuaries, where seawater mixed with sweet water nourishes the growth of the types of plankton that suit them. Save the ocean ( ahem, the world), eat an oyster!Īt the bar, I try not to say that oysters are a healthy food, good for you as well as the environment - as that type of image ruins the oyster’s sexy, late-night aphrodisiac qualities - a real shuckin’ PR nightmare.Įdible oysters grow naturally near the coast or on banks farther off shore where the water temperature is right and the sea bottom firm. No feed, antibiotics, water, energy/electricity needed to grow, and little fuel is required to harvest (depending on how far from land the oyster is grown). Beans to beef, oyster (and cultured filter-feeding shellfish) trumps all. ![]() Far less energy input is required to produce an ounce of protein from an oyster than most any other protein source.(Just think of oysters as environmental heroes!) An overabundance of plankton clouds the water’s surface and prevents nourishing sunlight from reaching the aquatic wildlife below. As oysters snack on plankton, they help keep its growth in check. Oyster farming, or aquaculture, is a sustainable resource that helps keep the environment healthy.Instead, they keep the oysters in an area where they can grow and be fed by Mother Nature. Oyster farmers don’t feed or add any chemicals to their crop.virginica contains 60 calories and 1.5 grams of fat - perfect for health-conscious diners who are watching their figures. gigas oyster meat contains 73 calories and just 2 grams of fat 100-gram serving of C. They’re also a good source of easily digested protein. They’re an excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and D, and are loaded with minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, selenium, and zinc. Oyster are high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in cholesterol.In fact, it’s so packed with nutrients, it’s no wonder most people experience a protein-induced buzz after eating a number of oysters. I always think of them as a delicious food that brings you in contact with the sea, but the oyster is also one of Mother Nature’s most perfect foods. Over the years, people have often asked me about the nutritional content of oysters. For commercial growers, we recommend triploids due to their significantly faster growth.Nature’s perfect food - and eco-friendly, too! Contact us if this is something your organization is interested in! A 25% conditioning fee will apply. These spawns generally consist of wild oysters harvested from the body of water being restored. In the past we have partnered with a variety of non-profit environmental groups to provide wild diploid larvae spawned specifically for oyster restoration efforts. ![]() These oysters have a degree of disease resistance, robust shell growth, and favor moderate salinities. Ware River- Wild oysters from the Ware River, a tributary of Mobjack Bay. Lolas- Selected for fast growth in low-salinities.Ĭross Breeds- (XB) Good all around oyster, seems to do better in higher salinities We offer customers a selection of broodstock to suit the needs of any particular grow-out site.ĭebys- An excellent, proven all around performer, good across a range of salinities ![]()
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