Our optimal farming methods and the unique Merroir provide our oysters with the best possible growing environment, resulting in a flavor profile that can't be replicated elsewhere.  

Oysters

At Great Marsh Shellfish, we pride ourselves on our unique and optimal oyster farming methods. We utilize multiple types of grow-out equipment, ensuring that our oysters receive the best possible growing environment from the nursery to the floating cages.

We start with high-quality oyster seeds and protect them in our nursery equipment. Once they are large enough, we then move them to the tumbling tubes, where they rise and fall with the tide, shaping them into a deep cup and conditioning the shells. After achieving the correct shape, we transfer them into the floating cages, where they are suspended in the top layer of the water column, providing them with maximum algae and phytoplankton for optimal growth.

Throughout the entire process, our oysters are off the bottom in protective cages or structures, reducing potential pathogens and protecting them from predators. We overwinter our oysters in the water, moving them from the primary site to the deep water in Plum Island Sound – our oysters are never stored on land. This gives them an additional depth of flavor not found in land-based overwintered products.

 

Our oysters' unique flavor profile comes from their Merroir, which is the complete set of local conditions in which seafood is raised. As filter feeders, oysters feed on the local plankton and algae in the water and take on the taste and flavor of where they are grown. The exact same species of oyster grown in a different location will have a completely different taste, giving it a unique Merroir. 

The Great Marsh, where our oysters are grown, is the largest contiguous stretch of salt marsh north of Long Island. The estuary is made up of a series of rivers, Plum Island Sound, and Essex Bay, containing some of the richest shellfish resources on the east coast. Our farm site is located in the middle of the estuary at the mouth of the Rowley River, with a strong tidal flow that brings in the saltwater to mix with the freshwater, creating the perfect brine for a delicious oyster. 

  • Rowley River Oysters- Light and bright with a brine forward experience. Some tasters detect hints of cucumber and the vegetative flavor of the salt marsh. They have a smooth, clean, buttery finish leaving you wanting more!

  • River Babes are our larger oysters grown to 3-4 inches. With a longer grow out period these babes have a harder shell, deeper cup and are a shucker's dream oyster.