Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

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Biology: Oysters are filter feeders, living on plankton and detritus that they extract from the water. By filtering up to 48 gallons of water per day, each oyster contributes greatly the improving water quality. Oysters were once abundant in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island's salt ponds, but the Hurricane of 1938 and a decline in water quality caused them to disappear. Now, with water quality much improved, oyster farmers are bringing them back.

Sustainability status: Our oysters are farmed, using methods that do no harm to the marine environment. Growing oysters helps improve water quality, because oysters filter plankton from the water column.

Harvest: Our oysters are raised in mesh bags hanging in the water column.

Nutritional facts: A 100-gram portion of oysters contains 7 grams of protein, 68 calories, 2 grams of fat, 53 mg cholesterol, and 211 mg sodium.

Available live, year round.

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