Georgia grown oysters are coming soon to a menu near you

One thing missing from Rackley’s menu is an oyster from Georgia. State lawmakers passed a law legalizing oyster farming in 2019. Earlier this year Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources used a lottery system to grant six tidal leases in Chatham and McIntosh counties.

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Chatham County couple Perry and Laura Solomon hold one of the state leases.

“From the spartina cordgrass to all the little crustaceans and animals that live in the grass, it all contributes to the flavor of the water here,” Perry said.

He and Laura want to farm oysters part time, with the help of their children.

“It’s a matter of pride for me. My family’s spent multiple generations on this water and I wanted to come back and grow a local product that our friends, family and people in the community can enjoy.”

Oysters are native to Georgia. In the wild they grow in clumps, making them tricky to harvest. Using cages creates individual oysters, perfect for serving on the half shell. Oyster filters about 50 gallons of water a day, and are an eco-friendly “crop.”

The state tapped UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant researcher Thomas Bliss to use grant money to learn how well oysters, and gear used to farm them, performed on Georgia’s coast. Bliss said Georgia’s deep river marshes and high tides make it ideal for growing oysters.

“You don’t have to feed them, you just have to give them a place to live while you’re growing them,” Bliss said.

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The Marine Extension is also home to the state’s only oyster hatchery. Baby oysters, called spat, look like grains of sand. Oysters grow two to three inches in about a year.

Georgia oysters have the potential to contribute about $5 million to the state economy and support 193 full and part time jobs, according to UGA.

“In our little 100 miles of coast we could have some serious production and serious jobs,” said Charlie Philips.

Phillips started shrimping when he was in high school and began farming clams in McIntosh County in 1996. If anyone can figure out how to make oysters work in Georgia, Phillips said it’s him.

“I’ve already got infrastructure, I’ve got customer base, I’ve got a crew that’s familiar with working on the water.”

But Phillips is concerned about language in the new law that threatens growers with a three-year license suspension for violations. He said he believes it is too strict for a new industry.

Phillips said the rule means he’ll invest less money in gear and supplies to start out with.

“That’s going to bankrupt people,” he said.

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Perry and Laura Solomon have their own concerns with the new industry. They signed their oyster lease in March but nearly five months later they’re still waiting for federal approval to get their oysters in the water.

“The not knowing is probably the hardest part. If someone could say ‘hey it’s going to be this date’ then fine, I can plan around that,” Laura said.

Laura said the Army Corps of Engineers staff told her they don’t know how long it will take to approve permits for oyster farm. Channel 2 asked the Army Corps for an update on the status of Georgia’s oyster lease holders’ permits with no response.

“We feel responsible to our friends or family or community that this is done right,” Perry said. “And as some of the first people doing it, you know, we’re going to represent the industry as it grows.”

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