East Coast Shellfish Growers Association

East Coast Shellfish Growers Association The ECSGA represents over 1400 shellfish farmers from Maine to Florida.

After 18 years of extraordinary leadership, ECSGA's Executive Director Bob Rheault will be retiring at the end of 2026. ...
04/30/2026

After 18 years of extraordinary leadership, ECSGA's Executive Director Bob Rheault will be retiring at the end of 2026.

We are deeply grateful for everything Bob has built — and now we're looking for the next person to carry this work forward.

ECSGA is hiring an Executive Director to lead the voice of 1,500+ shellfish farmers from Maine to Florida. This is a part-time remote role (~20 hrs/week) for someone with a passion for aquaculture, policy, and coastal communities.

📩 To apply, email your cover letter, resume, and three professional references to: Jeffrey Auger, President
[email protected] · 207-475-5767
Subject line: Executive Director Job Application

Big news for New England 🦪🌊For decades, the U.S. has imported tens of millions of dollars of mussels from Canada and New...
04/09/2026

Big news for New England 🦪🌊

For decades, the U.S. has imported tens of millions of dollars of mussels from Canada and New Zealand. That may be about to change.

Newport Mussels has filed for approval with the US Army Corps of Engineers to launch the first offshore blue mussel farm in New England waters.

This is what the future of domestically produced, affordable, high-quality cultured seafood looks like! Read more about it at the link below:

https://www.aquaculturenorthamerica.com/newport-mussels-launches-permitting-for-north-atlantic-offshore-farm/

Think you’re the fastest shucker around?Our friends at Island Creek Raw Bar in Duxbury, MA are hosting a head-to-head, s...
03/12/2026

Think you’re the fastest shucker around?

Our friends at Island Creek Raw Bar in Duxbury, MA are hosting a head-to-head, single elimination oyster shucking tournament on March 21 — and the bracket is filling fast.

Pros, amateurs, and a few dark horses are already signed up, but there’s still room for more competitors from across the coast.

🏆 $1,000 cash prize for first place
🥈 $500 gift card for second place
⭐ Plus your name on a permanent plaque at the Raw Bar

Entry is $25 and the bracket is capped at 64 contestants.

Even if you’re not competing, spectators are welcome! Come watch the action, grab some oysters, and maybe start training for glory in 2027.

Sign up:
📞 781-934-2021
📍 In person at Island Creek Raw Bar
📝 Or via the sign-up sheet - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmI00E-Eui01fSSu5SGX29txsyxak5gJpD-AhL-EfSCH1Xpw/viewform?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnLcd5LLZ56E3hMQgxRfnLMpofGQV9prREPpPt6zd0gkUMxeAFbXIJUuMkB5I_aem_blIq84H5NdGLbDKS1RBfhg

Let the shucking showdown begin. 💪🦪

02/26/2026

A winter day on the water ❄️🦪

Ever wonder what oyster farming looks like in the middle of winter? Spoiler: the work doesn’t stop when the temperatures drop.

Shoutout to our friends at Yennicott Oysters for this behind-the-scenes look at life on the farm in the dead of winter up north.

02/26/2026

PLENARY SPEAKER HIGHLIGHT:

Bob Rheault developed an early love of marine life, snorkeling on reefs in Okinawa at age 11, and at age 13 announced to his parents that he wanted to become a shellfish farmer. At 16 he became SCUBA certified and worked at the lobster hatchery on Martha’s Vineyard. In 1987, he started a small shellfish hatchery while working on his PhD. at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. He trademarked the Moonstone Oysters brand and established a marketing cooperative to distribute locally farmed oysters nationwide. He designed and patented floating upwellers for the nursery culture of oysters, and in 1991 he went to the Philippines, where he was the first to successfully spawn the Asian moon scallop, Amusium pleuronectes. He sold his farm in 2007 and now serves as the Executive Director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Rheault served on the NOAA Marine Fisheries Advisory Council and the NOAA Science Advisory Board and received the NSA Wallace Award for the advancement of the shellfish industry in 2005 and the NAA Joseph P. McCraren Award for outstanding contributions in promoting the growth of aquaculture in 2020. He is a passionate advocate for the shellfish farming community.

Find the program schedule and register now for the upcoming meeting: www.shellfish.org

02/20/2026

Everyone needs a buddy to eat oysters with!

The latest ECSGA Newsletter is live! 📰 Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll find inside this issue:• A deep dive into oyster...
01/06/2026

The latest ECSGA Newsletter is live! 📰
Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll find inside this issue:

• A deep dive into oyster market trends — what leveling production, rising imports, and flat farm-gate prices mean for growers
• A clear, science-based breakdown of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and why farmed shellfish remain safe to eat
• An in-depth look at bird guano, depuration, and shellfish sanitation, including new research on purge rates
• A practical update on ELAP disaster assistance, drought losses, and why growers are still pushing for improvements
• A feature on bay scallops — opportunities, challenges, and real-world economics
• Conference recaps, equipment dealer spotlights, upcoming events, and important industry updates

👉 Head to the link to read the full stories and stay informed on the issues shaping shellfish aquaculture right now.https://ecsga.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ECSGA_NL_v4-25corrected.pdf

The Oyster Educators Summit by is the premier industry event that brings together oyster-centric hospitality profession...
12/05/2025

The Oyster Educators Summit by is the premier industry event that brings together oyster-centric hospitality professionals with hospitality-minded growers. This focused, 100-person event is built for operators, producers, and educators who want sharper strategy, stronger programs, and a clear edge in oyster service. This year's theme, Creating Emotional Value, examines how standout oyster experiences become revenue drivers and defining memories.

When: January 21, 2026.
Where: Downtown Seattle.
Who: Registration is open to OMG members and non-members who are actively involved in the oyster & hospitality industry.

Learn more at https://oyster.academy/summit

Interested in launching or leveling up your shellfish farming career?Roger Williams University is offering its Applied S...
12/01/2025

Interested in launching or leveling up your shellfish farming career?

Roger Williams University is offering its Applied Shellfish Farming course again, a comprehensive online/hybrid program taught by professional shellfish farmers and industry experts.

📅 Tuesdays, Jan 27 – May 5, 2026
🕕 6–9 PM EST
📍 Attend in person at RWU’s Bristol Campus or join via Zoom
💲 Registration: $175

This course covers everything you need to know to understand, and succeed in, shellfish aquaculture:
• Shellfish biology & farm site selection
• Permitting, regulations & risk management
• Nursery & grow-out systems
• Marketing, operations & real-world business skills
• Guest lectures from working farmers and industry professionals

By the end, you’ll come away with both technical knowledge and practical tools to build or grow your own aquaculture operation.

Learn more or register: rwu.edu/applied-shellfish-farming

11/24/2025

Fall Oyster Fact: Cooler water temps make oysters plumper, sweeter, and at their peak flavor, one of the best times of year to enjoy them!
Cheers to crisp air and even crisper shellfish 🍁🦪

Address

1623 Whitesville Road
Toms River, NJ
08755

Telephone

+14017833360

Website

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