History

There is a long and rich history of oyster production in Jersey.

The flat ‘native’ oyster, ostrea edulis, was a principal export from Jersey in the nineteenth century. Oysters from Jersey were one of the most popular products in Europe. Fishermen would travel from Europe, especially England and France to fish for oysters in Jersey, particularly around Gorey on the Northeast coast. The harbour that you can find there today was constructed at this time to assist this form of fishing.

Unfortunately the oysters were over fished in the nineteenth century, leading to a collapse in natural stocks. As a result they reached such low levels that they have all but died out.

Today the oyster cultivated and exported in Jersey is the pacific oyster Crassostrea Gigas which is also known as the rock oyster.

The oysters that Seymour Oyster cultivates are grown a mile offshore in the Bay of Grouville. This is on the Eastern coast of Jersey, just South of the old small fishing village, Gorey, overlooked for the last 800 years by the grand Mont Orgueil Castle.  The oysters are mainly grown from seed and reared in mesh bags laid on trestle tables, which sit freely on the seabed.  Nothing is added, they grow from the beauty of nature to create their unique, slightly salty flavour loved all over the world.

Seymour Oyster beds are amongst the largest oyster beds in Europe and enjoy a picturesque setting, the wildlife is already considerable and the presence of the oyster tables enhances the biodiversity of the flora and fauna in the area.