Growing Methods

Flupsy: Salish Seafoods was able to purchase a Floating Upwell System, otherwise known as “Flupsy”.  The machine is very interesting. First, Salish purchases the oyster seed and then brings it to the Flupsy which primarily serves as a nursery system.  The Flupsy is a trough that is connected to a series of silos where the seed rests on the bottom on a screen. There, water is pumped into the trough creating a flow of various nutrients including: oxygen and plankton to allow optimal oyster growth. The seed then remains in the various silos until it grows large enough to be transported.

Seed is transferred to another nursery system referred to as the bag culture method.

Bag Culture: Bag culture is when “grow bags” are attached to long lines that are staked to the bottom of farmland; bags of seed are zip tied to those lines. Each bag holds up to 160 oysters and will stay on the ground for approximately 3 months, after which, oysters are planted onto a higher tideland along Squaxin Island beaches. At this final resting place, oysters are grown to market size and are then harvested for perfect eating! We harvest our meats in the summer season to generate the freshest meats.