Island Creek Cannery Opens in New Bedford MA

oysters

In October 2023, Island Creek Oysters, Inc. (ICO), an aquaculture farm based in Duxbury, Massachusetts, announced the opening of the Island Creek Cannery. The cannery will be a first-of-its-kind on the East Coast.

The 10,000 sq. foot facility will give local shellfish farmers consistent access to the market while providing a shelf-stable line of local sustainable seafood products.

The facility will also help address oversupply by ensuring adequate processing capacity during market fluctuations, shore up prices for farmers, reduce waste, diversify species and food, and create a range of jobs from processors to marketing experts.

For more information, visit islandcreekoysters.com.

U.S. Oyster Aquaculture Facts

Shellfish aquaculture is an important industry in coastal Massachusetts. Oysters are the most popular farmed shellfish in the state.

Oysters are the highest volume product for U.S. marine shellfish producers, according to NMFS Fisheries of the United States, 2020.

2013 North Carolina Seafood Statistics

In 2013, North Carolina Commercial fishermen brought in 50 million pounds of fish and shellfish with a dockside value of $79 million, according to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Trip Ticket Program.

Commercial fishermen in the state landed 21 million pounds of hard blue crabs worth $26.4 million in 2013.

Shrimp was the second most valuable product with landings of 4.9 million pounds and a dockside value of $13 million.

Rounding out the top 5 most valuable species were spiny dogfish (3 million pounds and $302,248), southern flounder (2.2 million pounds and $5.6 million) and Atlantic croaker (1.9 million pounds and $1.7 million).

Commercial finfish landings totaled 22 million pounds in 2013.

Shellfish landings totaled 28 million pounds.

Oyster harvests increased by 33 percent, including a notable increase in landings from the Pamlico Sound.

source: N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries

National Oyster Cook-off 2013

The National Oyster Cook-off was held on October 19 in Leonardtown, Maryland. The annual event is held in conjunction with the St. Mary’s Oyster Festival and the U.S. National Oyster Shucking Championship. More than 15,000 visitors attended the two-day festival which featured rows of vendors offering oyster fare and oyster-themed items.

Fifty chefs from as far away as Oregon entered recipes for consideration in the contest, open to cooks of all skill levels. Of those, nine were selected to attend the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival, where they competed before a panel of judges.

The judges picked one winner in each of the three categories - hors d’oeuvre, soup/stew and main dish - based on taste and creativity. Reynolds won the overall prize of $1,000, an engraved silver tray and the national title. The other category winners took home cash prizes, ranging from $150 to $300.

Debbie Reynolds of Waldorf took took first place in the main dish category and won the overall grand prize with her Oyster and Chipotle Grits recipe.

Marty Hyson of Millersville won the hors d’oeuvre honor with his Grilled Oyster Reggiano. Winning both soup/stew and People’s Choice was Robert Johnson of Bushwood with his Merchant Mariner Oyster Rockefeller Chowder. Ronna Farley of Rockville earned the Best Presentation Award with her Crispy Oyster and Red Pepper Salsa Bruschetta.

The Oyster Cook-off is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Seafood Marketing Program, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park and the St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development. Proceeds from the event go to local charities, educational scholarships, assistance grants, and Rotary International projects.

For more information on the National Oyster Cook-off, visit www.usoysterfest.com.

source: MD DNR

North Carolina Oyster Consumption Guidelines

With oyster season beginning October 15 in North Carolina, the State's Division of Marine Fisheries has released guidelines for consumers regarding shellfish consumption.

The following tips concerning to oysters and clams are from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries:
 -  Only purchase shellfish from reputable dealers, retailers, grocers, markets or restaurants. It is illegal for shellfish harvesters to sell directly to the public unless they are also certified shellfish dealers. These licensed dealers are inspected and required to keep shellfish under refrigeration and keep sanitation records.

 - Ask to see the shellfish tag before you purchase. By law, the shellfish tag must be removed at the last point of sale and kept on file for tracking purposes, but consumers can always ask to see the tag to look at when the shellfish were harvested and what area they are from. For the best quality, shellfish should be consumed within seven days of harvest.

 - Keep oysters and clams refrigerated until you are ready to cook and eat them. Shellfish need to be kept at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial growth.

 - Store shellfish away from other contaminants. Shellfish are living animals when you purchase them, so they can become contaminated by placing them on wet floors, splashing them with dirty water or dripping raw fish and other foods.

 - Thoroughly wash shellfish prior to cooking. Remove all mud and dirt from the outside of the shellfish, using water and a stiff brush.

 - Prior to cooking or raw consumption, discard any dead shellfish. Dead shellfish will have slightly gaping shells that will not close when tapped.

For more information about Vibrios, see the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ website at http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/diseases/vibrio.html.

source: North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Maryland Seafood Marketing Logo Contest Winner

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently unveiled the new logo for its Seafood Marketing Program. The winning design, created by John Snyder of Baltimore, will be used to in seafood marketing promotions throughout the State.

Earlier this summer, DNR’s Seafood Marketing Program held a logo contest in search of a new emblem that would showcase the Chesapeake Bay’s bounty. The Seafood Marketing Advisory Commission, responsible for choosing a winner, decided on Snyder’s design from the more than 75 submissions.

Snyder and four of his friends will enjoy a Chesapeake Bay Charter trip where they will choose to harvest one three types of Maryland seafood: blue crab, striped bass, or oyster.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

2011 National Oyster Cook-off

Seafood cooks can compete for a $1,300 cash prize and a silver tray by entering their original oyster recipe in the 32nd Annual National Oyster Cook-off.

Contestants must enter an original recipe by Aug. 31, 2011. Nine contestants will be chosen to compete at the cook-off on Sat., Oct. 15th in Leonardtown, Maryland.

Cash prizes of $300, $200 and $150 will by awarded to the top three finalists in each of the categories:  Hors d’oeuvres, Soups and Stews, and Main Dish.

The Grand Prize Winner will be selected from the first place winners of each category and will receive an additional $1,000 and a silver tray.

There will also be awards for Best Presentation of dish and People’s Choice.  In addition to cash prizes, contestants receive one night of hotel accommodations, and an invitation to a welcome reception.

The National Oyster Cook-off is held in conjunction with the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival and the world-famous National Oyster Shucking Contest.

To enter, see: www.marylandseafood.org

source: Maryland Department of Agriculture

Oyster Soup Recipe

Oysters are delicious, full of nutrients and widely available in most areas. This easy oyster soup recipe is perfect to serve for lunch or light dinner for 2:

Oyster Soup for 2

Ingredients:

18-24 fresh oysters, shucked, with juice (liquor)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water

sea salt and red pepper to taste

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring water and stock to boil.

Add vegetables, simmering until potatoes are tender (10-15 minutes).

Add oysters and liquor, simmering an additional 5 minutes.

Serve hot with crackers or fresh bread.

Valentines Day Dinner Ideas - Seafood Dishes

Seafood is always a popular choice for Valentine's Day dinners. Among the most commonly served seafood products are oysters, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab and salmon. The following list includes several ideas for Valentines Day dinner appetizers and main courses:

Oysters

 - raw oysters on the half shell
 - steamed or roasted oysters
 - oyster stew

Shrimp

 - shrimp cocktail
 - stuffed shrimp
 - grilled shrimp
 - scampi

Lobster

 -  whole boiled lobster
 - grilled rock lobster tails
 - lobster rolls
 - lobster bisque

Crab

 - Alaskan king crab or snow crab legs
 - crab leg assortments; king, snow, Dungeness
 - fresh whole Dungeness crabs
 - Maryland blue crab crabcakes
 - traditional crab soup
 - stone crab claws

Scallops

 - bacon wrapped sea scallops
 - sautéed scallops

Salmon

 - smoked salmon dip (appetizer)
 - planked salmon
 - grilled salmon steaks
 - salmon chowder

Visit this extensive collection of seafood recipes to find the perfect meal for your next holiday dinner.

How to Buy and Serve Virginia Oysters

Half Shell Oysters

Virginia oysters are harvested from North America's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Farm raised Virginia oysters are also available along much of the Atlantic Coast. Virginia oysters in the shell are sold by the bushel, peck, dozen or piece.

When buying oysters, one can expect to need 40-60 standard oysters to obtain a pint of raw shucked oysters and liquor.

Oysters are also sold freshly shucked, in their own juice. The number of oysters per pint varies depending on market sizes.

These are some common market sizes for shucked oysters:

Extra Large or Counts - less than 20
Large or Extra Select - 20–26
Medium or Select - 26–38
Small or Standard - 38–63
Very Small - more than 63

When serving raw oysters on the half shell as an appetizer, plan on 5-6 oysters per person, or 12-18 per person as an entree. Most recipes that call for shucked oysters are based on using 1 pint of oysters and liquor.

Steamed oysters should not be overcooked. Steamed or roasted oysters are served with melted butter, cider vinegar, or other condiments. Other sides suitable for serving with steamed oysters include home baked breads, green salads, and light soups.

Galveston Bay Oyster Reef Restoration

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Coastal Fisheries Division and commercial oyster fishermen are working together to restore about 2,000 acres of oyster reefs damaged by Hurricane Ike. About 8,000 acres of the bays reefs were smothered by sediment deposits when Hurricane Ike made landfall in September 2008.

About 180 fishermen have signed on to assist in restoration efforts taking place during the next couple of months.  Fishermen are being hired to use their boats and fishing gear to pull dead shell out of the sediment, thereby providing a surface for oyster larvae to attach and grow.

Re-exposing the buried shell will provide the hard substrate oyster larvae require.  It will take 18 to 24 months for newly settled oysters to reach a legal size of three inches.

Funding for this project comes from a federal fisheries disaster grant to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department through the National Marine Fisheries Service.

source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Louisiana Closes Fishing Areas and Oyster Beds

On April 30, 2010, the Louisiana departments of Health and Hospitals, and Wildlife and Fisheries, announced they will be closing select fishing areas and oyster harvesting beds as a precautionary response to the oil spill in the Gulf.

"I signed this emergency closure today as a proactive effort to prevent any oil-tainted fish, shrimp or crab from being caught and thus consumed," said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.

The oyster closure order will take effect at sunset today, Friday, April 30, 2010. DHH and LDWF, the state's oyster harvesters and the Louisiana Oyster Task Force are cooperating to ensure the safety of oysters taken from areas currently not affected by the spill.

"Oysters that are still coming out of the many unaffected beds across the Louisiana coast are being watched closely," Dr. Guidry said. "All of the beds that remain open are safe."

Updates on any further closures or changes in the status of areas closed will be posted at emergency.louisiana.gov.

For more information, visit:
www.dhh.louisiana.gov.
www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

Walking Fish New Year’s Oyster Fundraiser Share

Walking Fish is offering a special New Year’s Oyster Fundraiser share:

Sales are closing soon, so order your share today!

For $40, you will receive:

A bag of 24 oysters, fresh from Carteret County fishermen
A shucking knife, lemons, recipes and shucking instructions

Delivery on New Year’s Eve (Thursday, Dec. 31)
11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Duke Gardens parking lot off Anderson St. in Durhan, NC

Order online at www.walking-fish.org/oyster.php

Please contact Kim Gordon at kag38@duke.edu with any questions.

Sales close at midnight on Christmas Day

A community-supported fishery (CSF) is based on the community-supported agriculture (CSA) model. A CSF involves pre-payment by consumers for a ‘share’ of fresh, locally harvested seafood (i.e., a set amount of seafood generally picked up by the consumer on a weekly or bi-weekly basis). Just as CSAs can encourage sustainable and profitable farming practices, CSFs have the potential to do the same for fishing.