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The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association website reports that they represent over 1500 shellfish farmers. Up and down the coast from Maine to Florida. These shellfish growers not only cultivate farmed shellfish. But also provide job opportunities for many in the region. Especially those residents in rural coastal towns.
The ecsga.org website provides all interested parties various current information and research on aquaculture subjects. Resources that educate the industry, resources that provide direction. And resources that are always available.
What follows is a brief outline of the many resources found on this website. And provided by the shellfish growers association and others.
The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association board of directors monitors national legislative efforts. They then inform the association of lobbying targets. Members combine forces to represent the association. Often joined by their counterparts from the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. They travel to Washington to educate and disperse relevant information on the issues. A recent trip report from April 2018 newsletter is available.
Links provide information seekers the opportunity to find growers. And sellers of shellfish near them. Some also offer oyster or shellfish farm tours.
There are various categories of retail sales, with associated pick-up details. As with most searches, you can filter by distance or type of product/service.
New to Oysters? There are videos that will show you how to Shuck an Oyster. As well as provide you various recipes to prepare shellfish.
Information abounds from How to Set-Up a Clam Farm. To Avoiding Rookie Mistakes. There are even workshop videos on Oyster Culture. These videos are from the University of Florida.
A sampling of the Grower Resources available here are:
• Barriers to Entry: Aquaculture regulations and resources. For current and potential aquaculture producers vary among states in this Atlantic region.
• Best Management Practices: The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association published its BMP manual. This manual is the result of many workshops. That included input from hundreds of stakeholders.
• Certified Shippers List: The shippers within have completed the sanitation requirements. These requirements are the result of the National Shellfish Program. Released monthly and utilized by the shellfish industry.
• Employment: Contains websites that list aquaculture jobs along the coast
• Getting Started in Florida: Everything you might need or want to know. About starting an aquaculture business and cultivating a shellfish farm.
Reports indicate that the food supply in the US is the safest in the world. Yet, there are still 48 million cases of reported foodborne illnesses each year. And each year there are close to 125,000 hospitalizations with over 2,500 deaths. All from foodborne illnesses.
The chart provided shows that these illnesses are many and varied. The symptoms can be everything from life-ending illnesses down to mild stomach aches. The weakened immune systems of the elderly can pose serious consequences. While some threats can impact all persons.
Ecsga.org contains a variety of links to many different resources on aquaculture. Selections available include the following:
Collections of Articles on Oyster Marketing. And the most recent issue of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association newsletter. Not to mention a complete assortment of newsletter back issues from previous years. Some more marketing resources available include:
Take your pick of the various delicious ways to prepare shellfish. Some sample recipes provided include:
The Aquaculture industry, like many other industries, operates under many regulations. Some are difficult to follow and as such it makes sense to contact the authorities. Discussions around the various regulations are of interest to your state's permitting agents.
The following are some of the links provided governing shellfish aquaculture:
We know that shellfish aquaculture is good for the environment and all living things. But how to communicate or educate those who are outside the industry? Thanks to the existence of research results over time it is possible. Not only do they promote all sorts of positive benefits to the environment. Oysters also support the many varieties of fish and other shellfish as well. Hard to believe there are so many benefits and they taste oh so good as well! Take that brussel sprouts...
Some of the sustainability research papers include:
You must be a member to have full voting rights and to impact the future direction of the ECSGA. Categories exist to align members with others in similar areas. All you must do is consider what function you perform most and where your revenue comes from.
There is also a Restaurant member category. And if you're not in any one of those categories there's also a Non-Voting Associate Member.
You're invited to review the information about the many benefits of membership. And some of your dues may also be tax deductible but as always it's best to check with your tax accountant.
After getting accepted to ECU, I started looking for things to do in and around Greenville, NC. However, my searches kept taking me to places in South Carolina! There must be things to do around ECU, so I started asking other students. They kept telling me to graduate and move away! This inspired me to begin exploring eastern North Carolina and build this website as a showcase of the places to go, sights to see, and things to do all over eastern NC. I have fallen in love with this region and started taking up roots here. After graduating, I didn't move away - I bought a house here and continue to explore eastern North Carolina.
