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Lets get this forum started with descriptions and possibly photos of how you grow your oysters. Also, Feel free to start your own topic on a subject that is important to you.

I grow in a calm cove. I tried a test with grow bags vs growing directly on the beach. Since I do not worry about tides rolling my oysters down the beach here, they grow 2 x faster simply scattered on the beach.
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Neighbors all have grow bags and they work great. A problem I have is in 9 months, my oysters are larger than Anthony's Restaurant would serve. I eat them up to 14 inches long, so I don't care, but visitor wish small petite oysters. My neighbors grow slowly so theirs are at the 2 inch ideal size much longer than mine would be.
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I scatter 1/2 of them in a row across my bech at the +2 foot level in a 3 foot wide path. I then throw the other 1/2 beyond this area where the beach turns muddy. They all grow faster than advertised, & the ones planted this past april are now over an inch long. (Longer than some I have been served at Anthony's). Our cove is fed by 2 streams. One from a wet land/swamp a mile away, and the other stream from Deer Lake about 2 miles away. These are the sweetest oysters I have ever tasted.

Regarding HOT SUMMER WEATHER. I find oysters die if left out in the sun too long. So I press them into the beach, which is muddy on my beach. Then they live forever, apparently, as I have HUGE oysters. I find no difference between a 2 inch and a 8 inch oyster in taste, but the 8 inch oyster feeds a family of 6

Those jumbo sized oysters will make an excellent oyster stew or casserole. Oyster stew is COMFORT FOOD!

I have been growing the Pacific trivalve since Jul 1 in Spanish grow bags. When I placed them in bags there were 100 per cup. I will see how many fit in a cup as soon as I can get down there on a weekend.

When you refer to growing oysters on your beaches are you referring to sandy beaches or does anyone have rocky shorelines that have been productive? Also any experience in
tropical waters? Thank you. Lynne

I have finally been able to "do a dive" so's I can see how's my oysters grow. 5X since Jul. I'm measuring by volume: 20 = 1 CU. So, I'm happy, but not oyster fed as yet.

BD

As an experiment this Spring of 2009, we planted 10,000 seed Manila clams and 1,000 Triploid Oysters on a gravelly cobbly rather steep beach in Hammersley Inlet. This particular beach does not have the extremely high current velocities as the majority of the Inlet. Not knowing what to expect on oyster mortality, we used two grow-out bags at 500 spat per bag (too many), crossed our fingers and let them have at it. The bottom of these original bags was at exactly a +2.0 tide. In mid September it was obvious we had a space "problem". Growing like crazy, so I had two more empty bags and we did splits and a rough count and still had 1,000 oysters that were 3-4 in. long after 5 months (planted May 23rd) and the bags weighed at about 65 lb. each. Then more bags bought and now finally down to 8 bags of 125 per bag. 4 of these latest splits were moved higher on the ground and the bottom of these bags at +3.0 for easier winter access. We will have to keep them in the bags until next spring when we have some decent daylight tides to construct a fenced area to eliminate some bags ect. The beach is steep enough that oyster drift will occur laterally and downward. Unknown success or failure on the clams and that will be determined next spring but the oyster project a huge success with growth that a couple of commercials said was astounding for only 5 months.
Growler

Whereabouts in Hammersly? The western portion is a bit enriched and some of it is classified as not safe for shellfish consumption. I've one beach over by Bremerton that produces a 3.5 inch oyster in 6 months and by 12 months they start to turn into Size 6 shoes. So far the beach has been in a safe area but it's borderline.

We are just slightly up-inlet from Church Pt. north side. Taylor Shellfish is using some of the adjacent property next door and further up-inlet for commercial Manila clam plant and harvest. We are in the clear zone well outside of the outfall closure area. We have been approached by a couple of "dudes" that wanted to use the beach for oysters with a percentage of the harvest take as ours. Didn't want to discuss the Lease word. See ya guys. Since this seems to be working out rather well, I have gotten on the LISTSERV of DOH for commercial closures, we are considering haveing the beach certified next year for a very, very small commercial operation. Again, this was the experiment for both survival and growth. Astounding success even in the face of huge low July tides and heavy extended weather heat on small spat at +2.0. I guess Taylor has some pretty mean triploid oysters!!
Growler