In summary, production of Pacific oysters has 

 decreased to fit the present market. Marginal pro- 

 ducers have dropped out, and efficient producers 

 have curtailed production. Prices have remained 

 generally static, whereas costs have increased pro- 

 ducing a generally unfavorable profit picture for the 

 Pacific coast oyster industry. Given increased de- 

 mand at profitable price levels, production could be 

 greatly increased. 



NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN OYSTER 

 PRODICTION 



Specialty Products 



Hidden in the statistics, because of low volume, is 

 a newly developed market for "specialty" oysters. 

 These are partially grown Pacific oysters, usually 

 marketed under the trade name "yearling" oysters. 

 These oysters are about 3 inches in length, similar to 

 the size marketed in Japan, and are suitable for the 

 raw half-shell trade, oyster cocktails, stews, sauteed 

 oysters, etc. This product has a much better market 

 acceptance than large Pacific oysters which must be 

 blanched and cut into pieces before cooking. 



The market for yearling oysters is rather limited, 

 production costs are high and volume is low. but 

 these oysters sell for two to three time the price of 

 standard-sized oysters. Turnover is rapid because of 

 the short time required to grow marketable-sized 

 oysters. All factors considered, several small com- 

 panies have been able to improve their profit picture 

 by producing this specialty product. 



Another development is a patented process which 

 reportedly produces superior frozen oysters. This 

 process consists of hand-shucking, partial cooking, 

 breading, and rapid freezing. This product retains 

 the flavor well and resists oxidation during frozen 

 storage. Although relatively expensive to produce 

 because of the costs of hand-shucking, this product 

 is finding good market acceptance. Frozen oysters 

 can be shipped by surface transportation which is 

 cheaper than the air shipment required to deliver 

 fresh shucked oysters to distant markets. 



Increasing Use of Ofi'-bottom Culture 



Although off-bottom culture of Pacific oysters has 

 been used in Japan for many years, this method has 

 only recently gained acceptance on the Pacific coast 



of the United States. This is mainly because exten- 

 sive intertidal areas have been available for oyster 

 culture and production of oysters on bottom is less 

 costly than production off-bottom. 



Within the past 3 yr. however, several oyster 

 growers have begun oyster culture using rafts or 

 racks, and those who have been able to market a 

 specialty product at a higher price have been quite 

 successful. One company has constructed simple 

 rafts using styrofoam for flotation and suspends seed 

 oysters on wires below the rafts in a protected part of 

 Puget Sound, Wash. After 15-18 mo those oysters 

 which have reached commercial size are marketed, 

 and the rest are placed on-bottom for another grow- 

 ing season. These small oysters are well accepted in 

 the Seattle market at higher than average prices, and 

 it appears that this production method will be 

 economical. 



Several Oregon growers in Yaquina Bay near 

 Newport. Oreg., suspend Fiberglas- trays of oysters 

 below rafts and market these oysters at a small size 

 in restaurants in Portland, Oreg. These growers 

 have found that tray culture is somewhat more ex- 

 pensive than "string" culture, and they may discon- 

 tinue the use of trays. 



One company at Eureka. Calif, has an extensive 

 system of racks placed along the banks of channels in 

 Humboldt Bay. Oysters raised on these racks grow 

 faster than those on bottom and are generally in 

 better condition. 



It has also been observed that mortality of oysters 

 suspended from racks is lower than that of oysters 

 placed directly on the tide flats. Oyster mortality on 

 the beds in Humboldt Bay in 1971 was recorded as 

 409c by pathologists of the C alifornia Department of 

 Fish and Game, whereas mortality of oysters sus- 

 pended from racks was lO'/c. 



Although rack culture generally is more costly 

 than "on-bottom" culture and requires special loca- 

 tions, there is a belief that Pacific oysters raised 

 off-bottom have a milder flavor than those raised 

 on-bottom. An organoleptic test to Compare the 

 flavorof oysters reared under various conditions will 

 be conducted by the Washington State Depailment 

 of Fisheries and the National Marine Fisheries Ser- 

 vice in Seattle during November 1971. 



Raft culture has many of the advantages of rack 

 culture and also provides more latitude in selection 

 of locations since rafts can he anchored in waters of 



- Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service. NOAA. 



92 



