Determining Optimal Tumbling Schedule to Shape Petite Oysters in Highly Productive Waters and Access New Markets

As many new oyster farms are started each year in the Northeast, the market competition increases. Many farms which have been in operation for decades, are challenged to keep up with market and consumer trends. On Martha’s Vineyard, a dozen oyster farms have been operating successfully in Katama Bay in Edgartown, for nearly 30 years. Katama Bay provides moderately high salinity water which is rich in phytoplankton food and favorable water temperatures. Farms in Katama Bay are able to achieve market size of 3”+ in about 18 months to 24 months. This has led to great success for most of the growers. However, more recently, many consumers prefer a “petite” oyster, or one that is closer to 2.5 inches.  Growers in Katama struggle to produce a well-cupped, petite oyster because they grow so fast. The inability to produce a specific product is creating instability in some of the farms, as other farms in other growing areas, are in fact able to achieve a well-developed, smaller product. In order to maintain competitiveness, farms in Katama Bay and other highly productive growing areas, will need to adapt and create new methods for different results.

We propose a series of experiments to help growers in a similar position control the size and shape of the oyster they grow, through handling and tumbling. It is well-established that tumbling oysters, which chips away the thin, sharp new growth of an oyster, encourages the oyster to grow deeper and wider, instead of longer. Currently, the custom of most Katama Bay farms is to tumble the oysters just once before market, to round off the sharp growing edge. Additional tumbling sessions will cost labor and equipment time, and there for determining the optimal input needed for the desired output, is critical to the sustainability of the businesses.