Birch Point Oysters
Oysterology
- Specie:Crassostrea virginica
- Origin:Steuben ME(USA)
- 2-3 years
- Average Size:3.5"
- Available:April-November
- Tides:Dyer Bay; 12 ft tides create a rapid turnover of water as it comes and goes through the slats of the 200ft pound dam wall
- Bottom:Thin layer of silt over a relatively flat hard gravel and sand bottom
The Francis family has owned and operated their lobster pounds and wharf, buying from the local fishermen since their inception in the 60’s. Located a few miles up from the Petit Manan Point lighthouse, the sectioned off lobster pounds were used to house lobsters until they were ready to be sold to market. Within the last decade, the pound usage for lobsters has slowly gone to the wayside as the lobster fishery continues to shift and change. Through a desire to provide an alternate and sustainable use for our pounds we ultimately decided to give oysters a try. We started our farm in the spring of 2020 with the deployment of our first seed crop and haven’t looked back since. Tucked up into Dyer Bay, our farm sites are surrounded by Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge giving us an ideal location sheltered away from outside disturbance. Our unique situation with having our oysters grown in the pounds allows for the cold, nutrient rich North Atlantic waters to stay warmer than the bay during the growing season. This coupled with the rapid turnover from the tidal changes passing through the dam wall slats has created a thriving environment to grow and shape our world class oysters.