J.P.’s Shellfish was built on (and continues to grow upon) a simple, timeless, and sound principle. Align yourself with only the finest professionals in your industry. The cornerstone of our operation is our alignment with reputable fisheries and the honest folks who run them. Over the years, John Price has worked tirelessly in an effort to partner with only the finest in the industry. Please click below to learn a bit more about one of our trusted purveyors.
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Salt Pond Bay Oysters
Our Salt Pond Bay (Crassostrea virginica) oysters are farm-raised in the pristine waters of Eastham, Massachusetts. Twice a day, Salt Pond Bay and the entire eastern coast of Cape Cod are flooded by tidal swells provided courtesy of the briny North Atlantic and the tail end of the Gulf Stream. This combination of high salinity and relatively warm waters comes together here in Eastham to create a more or less idyllic setting for the grow-out of oysters.
Salt Pond Bays are farm-raised in an ecologically sound fashion. The small oysters are placed in mesh-plastic grow envelopes which are lashed to racks, and are suspended +/- 18" above the hard-packed sand floor of the bay. Each bag/envelope contains only 100 oysters, allowing each individual oyster space to grow, and assuring plenty of phytoplankton for all.
After about two years, the Salt Pond Bay oysters will reach desired market size (3-3.5"), and on a low tide, they are harvested by hand. The Salt Pond Bays then go through one final grade-out, and only the "choice" (consistent in size, shape, and deeply cupped) oysters make their way into the market-place. The last steps in production involve the oysters being hand-washed to remove any bio-fouling (vegetation, etc.) that may have attached itself to the oyster in this nutrient rich estuary, and then the oysters are counted into 100-count units and are immediately placed in refrigeration.
Shells of the Salt Pond Bays are relatively thin, but surprisingly chip and crack resistant. Meats are full and lead with a wallop of salinity (provided courtesy of the North Atlantic) which softly fades to a full, simple-sugar finish (provided by the oyster's glucose reserves). Salt Pond Bay oysters are consistently available 12-months a year, and are sure to please both the seasoned oyster-hound and novice alike.
Please email info@jpshellfish.com or call 207-439-6018 for more information on this and or any other J.P.'s Shellfish product or service.
