Areas:
Zeeland oysters are cultivated in the Oosterschelde and the Grevelingenmeer. The Oosterschelde is directly connected to the North Sea and also has tides. The Grevelingenmeer is closed off from the North Sea, but it is still a saltwater lake.
Photos pilot, google earth
Breeding methods
Oysters are grown in many different ways in different places in the world. In Zeeland, oysters are cultivated on the bottom of the sea, which we call soil cultivation. Oysters have also been grown in bags on tables for a number of years, which we call table cultivation. About 40 million Oysters are farmed annually in Zeeland using these two methods and a combination of the two.
Soil culture:
With Soil Farming, the Oysters are grown on the bottom of the sea. With this cultivation method, each oyster farmer has an oyster cutter and his own oyster plots. The oysters are spread evenly over the plots so that all oysters get enough space and nutrition to continue growing. When necessary in the breeding process, the oysters are fished up with nets that we call dredges. and sown elsewhere, when the oysters are ready for consumption they are fished up and selected on the boat, then they are usually put aside in crates for further processing.
Tabletop culture:
In table farming, the oysters are grown in plastic bags on steel tables. With this cultivation method, each oyster farmer has one or more table parks. here large groups of oyster tables are neatly lined up next to each other. The breeding process starts with small oysters in small mesh bags. when the oysters grow the bags get full. Full oyster bags are harvested empty and the oysters are then redistributed over more bags to create extra space for growth, which we call thinning.
Types of Oysters:
Two different types of oysters are farmed in Zeeland, the flat oyster (Ostrea Edulis) and the Creuse (Japanese Oyster). In the past, only the flat oyster was farmed in Zeeland, nowadays mainly the creuse oyster is farmed.