The
Shellfish Farm News
March 2003
The
Comox Valley / Baynes Sound region has a long and rich history
in shellfish farming, going back over 70 years. Delicacies
including pacific oysters, manila clams and mussels thrive
here and are renowned around the world for their quality
and taste. Shellfish farming is a major employer in this
region and an integral part of our local community. This
is the first of a series of columns for the Fanny Bay Flyer
that will describe what shellfish farming is all about as
well as providing information on the workings of the natural
world within which our farms operate. We welcome any questions
or comments.
The
first few low tides during the daylight hours are back again
this month after a long dark winter. For the oyster and
clam farmers in Baynes Sound it means a return to working
on our beach leases during the day, rather than the middle
of the night. The low tides that provide access to our shellfish
crops go through seasonal cycles that give us mostly “daylight
tides” from April to September and “night tides”
from October to March. By the end of March it really feels
like spring when we can put away our head-lamps for another
six months.
People
often ask what the best time of year for eating shellfish
is. Each shellfish farm has its own unique characteristics
that determine the best time for harvesting. This is influenced
by the location of the farm, the type of crop, and natural
events such as red tide blooms and seasonal rainfall. Some
farms have a year- round harvest window and others may only
be open for harvesting part of the year. By cooperatively
harvesting their crops through a shellfish processing plant,
the individual farms collectively supply oysters, clams
and mussels in the peak of condition year-round.
However,
harvesting is only a small part of shellfish farming. Seeding,
tending and maintaining the shellfish crops goes on year-round.
These activities are influenced by natural conditions such
as the increased plankton blooms in the spring and fall
that feed our crops. In return, our shellfish crops provide
food and shelter for a large variety of other marine organisms
and wildlife. We’ll have more details on these and
other topics in future columns.
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