Gifts from the Sea: Oyster Farming in Alaska’s Icy Waters

When one thinks of the glacier fed waters of Alaska, oysters might not immediately come to find. However, that doesn’t stop Canoe Lagoon Oysters located in Wrangell, from producing some of the most sought after oysters in the lower 48 states. Oysters don’t spawn in Alaska as the water is too cold, so owner Brian Herman purchases the young oysters, called spat at this stage, from Hawaii. However, once submerged in the pristine, nutrient dense waters off of Blashke Island, the oysters thrive.

“Because it’s too cold for the oysters to reproduce, they spend all their energy growing. Even during the winter, they continue to grow but at a slower pace,” says Herman.

The float bags contain happy oysters as an example. These bags keep the oysters in a nutrient rich environment and allows them to be turned weekly in order to get a deep meaty oyster. The staff puts the oysters in a tumble approximately two months after planting to sort them by size and clean them. Last year, the first tumble revealed 80% of the oysters grew over one inch in two months. Bigger oysters means more bags to reduce crowding. Five times, the oysters had to be placed into different bags because they were growing at such a rapid pace.

After harvesting, they transport them back to the facility at Wrangell, where they sort, weigh, and ship them to restaurants in Arizona and Alaska. They sell the oysters that are too large to be shooters at their store in Wrangell. “Everyone has a different way to eat oysters, but most people in Wrangell like to grill them. They have a delightful, firm texture that is especially good topped with garlic butter.” Total time from seed to market is 16 months. Not only will you find the larger delectable oysters at their retail space, but also sauces and seasoning, merchandise and local gifts.

Visit Canoe Lagoon Oysters at: freshalaskaoysters.com