Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2021

33 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com C harleston is a seafood destination, and oysters comprise one of the most popular menu items in area restaurants. Not to mention that oyster roasts are almost a rite of passage around these parts, with seasonal events bringing people together over their love of this meaty mollusk. But how does supply keep pace with the increased customer demand for these briny bivalve delights while not depleting wild oyster populations? The answer is oyster farming. Oysters have been raised and harvested since first century BC in the Roman empire, and this aquaculture practice — the cultivation of aquatic organisms for food — continues into the present day. While still not a large industry, oyster farming is growing fast in South Carolina. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the number of farmed oysters in the state rose from 139,178 in 2014 to more than 1.2 million in 2019 — COVID-19 reduced numbers a bit in 2020. Additionally, oyster farms reported selling $645,423 of oysters to local restaurants in 2018. OYSTER FARMING: SEEDS AND GROWING CYCLES There are currently eight oyster farms located throughout the state. Many Lowcountry oyster farms utilize sustainable floating cage techniques in their operations, BY COL I N MCCANDLESS South Carolina Shellfish Farming Oysters to Meet Southern Demands