Shellfish farming - not as easy as you'd think!

One of my friend's boyfriends works (well now it's past tense - worked) at a shellfish farm and took David and I on a tour. It was quite fascinating. I should say it's more of a hatchery - and they primarily grow oysters at the one we visited. We learned about the process, and also the importance of algae...which is what the oysters love to eat and what makes them get big and plump and juicy! Most of the oysters they are growing are microscopic but we did look under the microscope...soooo cute! But they actually look nothing like oysters when in their larval stage. There has been a lot of talk in the PNW and the hardships with shellfish hatcheries with the changing pH levels of our oceans. Since oysters grow their own shells, they need water conditions to be just so, so that they in turn, can grow their shell. With ocean temps changing, this changes pH, which can often prevent many marine animals that grow their shells, to have difficulty growing shells. This is of great concern all over the world now. Our friend Clayton's hatchery actually ships their oyster larvae all around the world so it can be grown in other places where pH levels are too extreme. This particular hatchery has had success, and grows multiple species. And that's your lesson in science for the day from Claudia.

This is one of the areas where they were growing algae to feed to the oyster larvae

Lots and lots of empty oyster shells...they put these with the larvae, so that the larvae has something to attach to and begins growing its shell

That right in there is millions and millions of oyster larvae!