Since there are many variables, we customize each order of spat, seed, or eyed larvae for your project. Various sizes are available throughout the year for oyster restoration projects or gardening. The off-bottom growth is significantly faster than those that are grown on-bottom and their shell has a different character. During the spring spawning season we have spat, seed, and eyed larvae available for purchase. These oysters are spread on the tideland on firm substrate, placed in plastic mesh bags supported off the ground by lines, placed in various plastic mesh baskets off-bottom, or placed into trays. Once the single seed has grown to ½” – ¾” size, they are planted out to our tidelands. The cultchless seed is fed the same microalgae for 4-8 weeks before moving them to an upwell system in the bay, where they can then feed on natural algae. Some of our cultch seed is strung onto ropes that are supported off-bottom for accelerated growth where the substrate is soft or acidic. The shell with small oyster spat can then be scattered across the tideland for growth to maturity.
It takes at least 18 months to grow an oyster to 3 inches. So, lets take a moment to talk about that - most local oyster growers receive their oyster spat in late April or early May when the waters begin to warm. A pilot test of the material at the Joe Rains Living Shoreline yielded impressive oyster growth. Lately, oyster supply has been really tight and this is due, in part, to the growing cycle. As far as oyster growth, reef prisms and similar forms made of the same material perform quite well. The cultch seed is fed with tank-grown microalgae for 1-2 weeks before being moved to tidelands for 3-6 months of growth and hardening. Oyster spat are clearly visible on the reef prisms after just two short months. Currently, Rock Point uses a remote setting facility to assist acquired oyster larvae in settling onto both shell in plastic mesh bags (cultch seed) and in trays (cultchless single oyster seed). These are now allowed to grow to maturity and sold as single oysters. In years past, we sold tiny oysters that had naturally set on our gravel tideland as gravel seed. Single oyster seed is periodically available from our nursery. Bags of cultch oyster seed is available from our setting tanks or seasoned from one of our farms.
Pacific oysters are set on whole oyster shell in bags or on micro-cultch shell as singles in our remote setting/nursery facility.
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