The Different Methods of Growing Oysters

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Different culture methods can produce completely different oysters, and there are many Growers choose their preferred growing method based on a number of factors, including their geography, potential predators, town regulations, and climate.

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Growing methods generally fall into two categories: bottom-farming and off-bottom farming.

Bottom method

“Bottom” simply means the bottom of the ocean. Thus, bottom culture methods mean that oysters are grown on the bottom of the ocean, while off-bottom culture methods grow oysters without contact with the bottom. These two categories are not mutually exclusive. Growers can use both methods throughout the life of the oyster to achieve a desired appearance or yield. Bottom farming is the closest method to growing oysters like wild oysters. Although cultured oysters do not grow on the surface like wild oysters, when laid on the bottom, they grow in the same pattern as their native cousins because they filter the same water and live on the same bottom that affects their shell color and hardness.

But each method has its advantages and disadvantages. The main benefit of bottom-farming is the ability to produce strong and sound shells. There is much speculation as to why this is the case. Some believe the shells are stronger because they absorb minerals from the mud, or because they get more wave action during tidal changes and severe weather. However, the biggest disadvantage, which may outweigh the advantages, is that growers may lose many oysters to nature. Oysters may die from suffocation on the ocean floor, be attacked by predators, or be brought into the ocean by ice freezes. For every oyster lost, the grower has one less oyster to sell for income.

Off-bottom method

The main advantage of the off-bottom method is the opposite of the disadvantage of bottom farming. As you can see, in the off-bottom method the oysters are usually enclosed and protected, so growers have the potential to lose fewer oysters to weather. This means better overall yields. However, the drawbacks include spending more money on equipment and more work to keep the equipment from getting dirty. Sometimes there is a tendency for oysters to be brittle because they are spoiled, but growers have many techniques to strengthen the shell.

While “off the bottom” may sound simple, there are actually a large number of methods for getting off the bottom. These methods differ primarily because of the oyster equipment growers decide to use. Growers often decide on their equipment based on the geography of their farm location and personal preference. For example, if the oysters are grown on a beach, off-bottom culture may be the only viable growing method because otherwise the oysters would be at risk of being buried with the weather.