If you’re familiar with oysters, you likely know that the northern regions of the US are famous for their delightful shellfish varieties. Enthusiasts rave about Beausoleils and Wellfleets from the East and fall in love with Kumamotos and Hama Hamas from the West.
However, when it comes to oysters from the Southeast, many dismissively turn their noses up, expressing disdain. Oysters from warmer waters? Not on my platter of crushed ice. I admit: I was once among these skeptics.
That changed when I stumbled upon Shark Bite oysters from New Smyrna Beach in Florida. At an Oyster South symposium in St. Augustine, I met a dedicated group of passionate entrepreneurs committed to rehabilitating the Southern oyster’s reputation, enhancing local ecosystems, and providing economic benefits to their communities.
I was graciously invited to spend a couple of days working alongside these farmers. Armed with rubber boots and slathered with sunblock, I eagerly made my way to the Atlantic and Gulf waters.
Day One: On the Gulf
This lovely early morning begins with Reed Smith of Calusa Oyster Company greeting me in South Tampa Bay. As we set off aboard their boat with his colleague Reid Ballard, Smith recounts how he and his wife Maura ‘stumbled into’ the idea of oyster farming, thinking, “Hey, we could do that!”
“My family has always been fond of seafood, so it felt like a natural path to take,” he explains, gesturing towards the shimmering waters and clear blue sky. “Besides, this office has an unbeatable view.”
Most oysters cultivated in the Southeast thrive in ‘off-bottom’ estuary systems, where tides continually rejuvenate the water’s nutrients. Floating cages, holding mesh bags with oysters at various growth stages, fill the waters ahead of us.
Today, our main focus is harvesting. Hoisting a cage and extracting a compressed bag proves to be a taxing endeavor. Marine life clings to the cage structures, surrounded by seaweed, crabs, and small fish. Smith observes, “Our farm has transformed into a floating reef.”
The oysters from the bags pass through a rotating, perforated cylinder that sorts the small ones and channels those ready for harvest. Some of these smaller oysters will be contributed to a local restoration initiative, Oyster River Ecology, aimed at supporting the wild populations crucial for aquatic health. Smith clarifies the distinction: “cultivation” is intended for consumption, while “restoration” is for ecological balance.
This conscientious process of sorting and cleaning provides room for deeper conversation. Ballard shares the motivation behind his work: “This practice of cultivating an animal that sequesters carbon, cleans our waters, and fosters habitat growth has opened my eyes to the magnitude of work that remains in preserving a clean environment.”
Smith sums it up well: “Finding a profession that spreads so much joy in people’s lives is a true blessing. Do you ever see someone not smiling when they eat oysters?”
Day Two: On the Atlantic
At a dock on the Indian River Lagoon, I am introduced to Nicolette Mariano of Treasure Coast Shellfish. As our skiff glides over the pristine waters, she shares her long-standing interest in aquaculture, sparked when she began volunteering at the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center at age fourteen. With a Bachelor of Science degree backing her passion, she states, “I adore the mornings on the boat, soaking in the sights and sounds—the ospreys, dolphins, and manatees surfacing to breathe.”
Back at the dock, her crew gears up and begins to sort and clean the oysters; any that are damaged are tossed back into the shallow waters, drawing a flurry of fishes looking for food. Mariano reflects on the positive impact of the farm on the local community. “Our oysters provide a remarkable vertical habitat for juvenile species; the farm is genuinely a self-sustaining ecosystem. Additionally, we’ve generated a variety of job opportunities for people of all ages.”
The Challenges
Natural disasters and complex regulations pose considerable hurdles for oyster farmers, but weather-related challenges, especially hurricanes, are the most formidable. Smith of Calusa shared his experience of a year’s work obliterated by Hurricane Helene. “Perseverance, creativity, resilience, and adaptability are essential traits for us. We simply learn to navigate through or around the challenges and press on.”
The Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association provides crucial community support. Executive Director Adrianne Johnson sums up their vision: “Those in the shellfish farming industry are among the most hardworking, resilient, and inventive individuals. We aim to elevate this fantastic emerging industry in the south and encourage people to engage with it. Taste a southern oyster, back a local farmer, and notice the difference.”
Despite various challenges, Ballard from Calusa expresses the sentiment of his farming colleagues: “I wouldn’t trade this job for any amount of money.”
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 edition of Thewindowsclubs magazine (US edition).
