Growing oysters is not necessarily complicated. However, doing it successfully at a large scale requires a team of specialists and proprietary technology.
We built our 60,000 square foot facility with the ability to spawn, grow and set billions of eyed larvae. We make our own saltwater and grow 19 strains of algae to mimic conditions in the wild and feed the larvae throughout the spawning and rearing process. Our strategic inland location protects us from many of the challenges most hatcheries must endure while utilizing water straight from the Gulf of Mexico or other coastal locations; changing salinity, fluctuating water temperatures, pollution, algae blooms and bacterial infections.
Since 2017, we’ve tested and refined our processes from spawn to deployment using science and trial and error. Our practice follows a carefully outlined approach allowing the oysters to develop in controlled conditions.
Spat-Tech Process
Spat-Tech Process
Spat-Tech collects wild oysters from reefs found along the Louisiana coast, from both private leases and public seed grounds.
1
We hold the oysters collected from the wild, called broodstock, and “condition” them in temperature-regulated water and feed them the algae produced onsite.
2
We mimic the oysters' “natural spawn” by slowly raising the water temperature, encouraging the oysters to release sperm and eggs.
3
After the incubation period, the inseminated eggs become larvae. We use mesh screens to grade and separate the larvae by size and place them into large tanks to grow and further develop.
4
The larvae grow to become a pediveliger or “eyed-larvae”, where they can crawl using a foot, 12-20 days post spawn.
5
The eyed-larvae are then set onto the cultch in 1 cubic yard bags in large tanks and remain there for 3-5 days to ensure a quality set.
6
After inspection and determining the set, sacks of the oysters are moved to a nursery in the Mississippi Sound to continue growing for an additional 3 months before being deposited on a designated reef.
7
We are proud to have developed a cost-effective process of growing large quantities of eyed-larvae, and setting high-densities of “spat on shell” into the water at a scale that can truly make a positive impact on the restoration of existing reefs and new ones alike.
Step 1
Spat-Tech collects wild oysters from reefs found along the Louisiana coast, from both private leases and public seed grounds.
Step 2
We hold the oysters collected from the wild, called broodstock, and “condition” them in temperature-regulated water and feed them the algae produced onsite.
Step 3
We mimic the oysters' “natural spawn” by slowly raising the water temperature, encouraging the oysters to release sperm and eggs.
Step 4
After the incubation period, the inseminated eggs become larvae. We use mesh screens to grade and separate the larvae by size and place them into large tanks to grow and further develop.
Step 5
The larvae grow to become a pediveliger or “eyed-larvae”, where they can crawl using a foot, 12-20 days post spawn.
Step 6
The eyed-larvae are then set onto the cultch in 1 cubic yard bags in large tanks and remain there for 3-5 days to ensure a quality set.
Step 7
After inspection and determining the set, sacks of the oysters are moved to a nursery in the Mississippi Sound to continue growing for an additional 3 months before being deposited on a designated reef.
We are proud to have developed a cost-effective process of growing large quantities of eyed-larvae, and setting high-densities of “spat on shell” into the water at a scale that can truly make a positive impact on the restoration of existing reefs and new ones alike.