3/25/2023 0 Comments Oyster spat for sale virginiaIn intensive culture, growers plant single oysters in cages, racks, or floats, then carefully tend them for harvest primarily in the half-shell market. Oyster culture has two main production methods, which generally provide product to separate markets. Young oysters prefer to settle on oyster shells like these. Respondents include 15 clam growers, 58 intensive oyster growers, 7 extensive oyster growers, 6 shellfish hatcheries, and 10 growers who cultured both molluscs. The 2016 results are drawn from 63 completed surveys returned to VIMS. Virginia remains the nationwide leader in growing hard clams. Virginia’s clam growers reported a 10 percent decrease in seed plantings during 2016 to a total of 476 million clams, but predict an increase of 10 percent for 2017, which would translate to 523 million individual clams planted. The number of hard clams sold in Virginia in 2016 also increased-to 195.4 million from the previous year’s 185 million. Oyster growers remain optimistic, she says, with survey respondents predicting a 21 percent increase for 2017 sales, which would translate to nearly 49 million market oysters sold. Although this is 14 percent less than predicted in the previous survey-in which Virginia growers forecast a 32 percent increase to nearly 47 million market oysters-Hudson again sees little significance in the discrepancy. The number of oysters sold increased by 13 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year-from 35 million to 40.2 million. Partners include Virginia Sea Grant, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. “They produce the product, so we support them by refining tools to better monitor and evaluate water quality to ensure healthy shellfish.” “VIMS and our partners have put a lot of effort into supporting the heart of this industry-the hatcheries,” says Hudson. Intensive culture uses cages to protect oysters from predation. The average price of eyed larvae has increased for the past 4 years, and in 2016 increased 4 percent to $326 per million. Oyster hatcheries also reported a sales increase, for both single seed (up 22 percent) and eyed larvae (up 12 percent). Virginia growers reported an average price of $0.41 per oyster in 2016 the same as the previous year and significantly above the 10-year average of $0.33 per oyster. There is no sign of market saturation with Virginia products.” The markets remain strong and prices are up. Report author Karen Hudson says, “The story this year is that everything looks good. The latest report is based on an industry survey completed during the first quarter of 2017. The survey and report provide an annual assessment of trends and projections for Virginia’s shellfish aquaculture industry. The values are according to the 11 th annual Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation and Outlook Report, a survey of shellfish farmers in the state conducted by the Marine Advisory Services program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Hard-clam production once again leads the nation and oyster production is tops among East Coast states. Virginia shellfish farmers sold $56.6 million in clams and oysters in 2016, with hard clam sales of $38.1 million and $18.5 million in oyster sales.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |