The
Santa Barbara
Channel
can produce some of the fastest growing shellfish in the
world. The shellfish are grown off the bottom, suspended
in nets, where they can feed in the nutrient-rich currents.
These growing methods produce top-quality shellfish which
are free of grit and sand. The open ocean environment provides
a unique, sweet and briny flavor, and the meat is plump
and succulent due to the large availability of food (plankton)
in the water.
Oysters
Of
all the ocean mollusks, the oyster is the most prized.
Many cultures revere the oyster for its exotic taste,
and it can be found on some of the most decadent menus
around the world. Of the seventy-two different species
of oysters found in the world, only five species are of
commercial importance. The Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea
gigas, is the most important cultivated oyster in
the world. Originally found in Japan, the Pacific oyster
was introduced to the United States in the 1930’s
and has since become the predominately cultured oyster
on the west coast. Santa Barbara Mariculture is growing
and selling the Pacific Oyster year round. This Oyster
is very tender and yields a sweet and salty flavor which
is undeniably addicting.
Mussels
Mussels
found in the wild have been collected and eaten for many centuries.
However, the introduction of mariculture in France during the
13th century raised mussel consumption to new levels. Since that
time, the cultivation of mussels has become a major industry.
Newly instituted aquaculture techniques have been established
but the traditional concepts have remained intact over time. Santa
Barbara Mariculture grows the Mediterranean Mussel, Mytilus
galloprovincialis. The mussels are rope cultured either from
natural settlement or from a seeded rope. These succulent mussels
can reach market size in as few as six to eight months.
Rock
Scallops
The
Rock Scallop, Crassodoma gigantea, is a prized possession
along the West coast. This species has not yet been successfully
commercially grown, and Santa Barbara Mariculture is currently
developing methods to produce this savory scallop for the seafood
market. This species of scallop takes at least two years to reach
six or more inches in size. The sweet, rich flavor of these scallops
exceeds that of any other type of scallop available in the market
place. Pacific Rock Scallops are truly in a league of their own.
Santa
Barbara Mariculture Company
721 1/2 West Valerio Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805.886.1283
Of
all the ocean mollusks, the oyster is the most prized.
Many cultures revere the oyster for its exotic taste,
and it can be found on some of the most decadent menus
around the world. Of the seventy-two different species
of oysters found in the world, only five species are of
commercial importance. The Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea
gigas, is the most important cultivated oyster in
the world. Originally found in Japan, the Pacific oyster
was introduced to the United States in the 1930’s
and has since become the predominately cultured oyster
on the west coast. Santa Barbara Mariculture is growing
and selling the Pacific Oyster year round. This Oyster
is very tender and yields a sweet and salty flavor which
is undeniably addicting.
Mussels
found in the wild have been collected and eaten for many centuries.
However, the introduction of mariculture in France during the
13th century raised mussel consumption to new levels. Since that
time, the cultivation of mussels has become a major industry.
Newly instituted aquaculture techniques have been established
but the traditional concepts have remained intact over time. Santa
Barbara Mariculture grows the Mediterranean Mussel, Mytilus
galloprovincialis. The mussels are rope cultured either from
natural settlement or from a seeded rope. These succulent mussels
can reach market size in as few as six to eight months.
The
Rock Scallop, Crassodoma gigantea, is a prized possession
along the West coast. This species has not yet been successfully
commercially grown, and Santa Barbara Mariculture is currently
developing methods to produce this savory scallop for the seafood
market. This species of scallop takes at least two years to reach
six or more inches in size. The sweet, rich flavor of these scallops
exceeds that of any other type of scallop available in the market
place. Pacific Rock Scallops are truly in a league of their own.