Years of mistakes, successes, elbow grease, and trial and error have gotten us to where we are today. SPAT-Tech is one of the largest oyster hatcheries in the United States.
- 60,000 square foot facility
- Manage 400,000 gallons of man made salt water
- Produce 19 different strains of algae, with an average cell count of over 25 trillion cells
- Capacity to set 450 cubic yards of SPAT on shell every 5 days during larvae production
- 0 discharge facility
- 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico
Most hatcheries are located along coastlines, taking advantage of natural water sources available to them. While this design is practical and cost-effective, it potentially exposes operations to natural obstacles, such as algae blooms, fluctuations in salinity, bacterial infections, hurricanes, and even pollution. These influences can be critical to the fragile stages of any oysters’ development. SPAT-Tech is located 40 miles from the coast and is less susceptible to hurricanes and other challenges.
Being inland also requires us to make and utilize our own saltwater, and lots of it, up to 400,000 gallons. This allows us to better control our environment, including salinity and water temperature. While we may not be free from exposure to harmful bacteria, we are able to completely replenish our source water through an intricate plumbing system at the turn of a valve should a concern arise and introduce new water to our broodstock, algae production, and larvae.
