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Little Bay Oysters

Little Bay oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are farm raised in Little Bay, NH (makes sense); which is located within the protected confines of Great Bay Estuary.  As a crow flies, Little Bay is just about four miles from Eliot, Maine distribution facility.  Just hop-skip-and-a-jump away!  The Little Bay oysters are harvested on a per-order basis, and arrive at our doorstep a scant few minutes after being pulled from the nutrient rich waters.  How cool is that?  Over recent years, oyster replenishing projects in Little Bay and the surrounding estuaries have become a source of local pride with regard to the revitalization of these waters and all they contain.  Credit where credit is due…It would be difficult to underestimate the roles the faculty and students of The University of New Hampshire have played in this remarkable restoration.  That, my friends, is pure gold in terms of fisheries marketing.  As stated, the Little Bay oysters are all farm-raised, and are grown out in a series of rack and bag cultures.  The farm consists of a series of PVC stakes and lines that are used to support mesh bags of varying sizes.  It is important to note that neither the bags nor the oysters contained within ever come in contact with the hard-packed mud/sand floor of the bay.  This method of grow-out produces an oyster which is terrifically clean, both inside and out.  No manicuring is required on the Little Bays, as the tidal flow provided by the Piscataqua River causes them to chafe against one another in the bags, thereby eliminating much irregular growth, and promoting great cup definition.  The Piscataqua boasts some of the strongest tidal currents on the planet, and these currents play an integral role in twice daily flushing and conveying nutrients to the Little Bay estuary.  Harvest of the Little Bay oysters is as simple as hand-hauling the bags off of the aforementioned lines, and giving the oysters for a quick once-over where any bio-fouling is removed before being bagged in 100-count units and brought across the river to us.  It bears mention that all aspects of the grow-out and harvest of the Little Bays are executed in an entirely environmentally sustainable basis.  Love your Mother!  Little Bay oysters are the only New Hampshire oysters commercially available today, and owners Will and Jocelyn Carey take a great deal of pride in knowing that their enterprise plays a critical role in restoring the local waters to their former glory.  Little Bay oysters are classified as cocktails (+/- 2.75”), and are further proof that good things do indeed come in small packages.  Meats are full; possess a medium salinity, and a crisp, sweet finish.      

Please email info@jpshellfish.com or call 207-439-6018 for more information on this and or any other J.P.'s Shellfish product or service.