November 1, 2022Oyster Month 2022 Is Here!

November is Virginia Oyster Month! We use this time to celebrate, Crassostrea virginica, better known as the Oyster. Virginia leads the East Coast in Oyster production and Oyster landings bring in on average 40 million dollars a year. Because of Virginia’s unique mixture of fresh water flowing down from the mountains interacting with saltwater from the Chesapeake Bay it leads to a wide variety of Oyster flavors. From seaside Oysters prized for their saltiness to the various salinities found in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries Virginia has a variety of Oysters that are salty, creamy, and sweet to match any pallet. While Oysters are available year-round, we dedicate November to celebrate this tasty treat because of the historical significance to the state of Virginia and its commercial fishing industry. Oysters were one of the few reliable sources of food for the settlers at Jamestown. Native Americans taught the first settlers how to collect Oysters with Hand Tongs a process still employed to this day. Oyster harvesting is a very important part of Virginia’s economy and provides many job opportunities for the hard-working commercial watermen. We hope you join us in celebrating Virginia Oysters all month long!