Feeding & filtering.
As oysters feed, they filter particles from the water. Their influence on water clarity depends on conditions and the number of oysters present.
FOOD. FARMING. A LIVING ESTUARY.
The story
beneath the shell.
An oyster is more than a bite of the bay. It is part of a long food tradition, a crop that takes care and patience, and a living connection between the water and the people around it.
Start with Great Bay →
A LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WATER
Great Bay has
an oyster history.
Long before today’s oyster farms, Indigenous communities gathered shellfish from these waters. New Hampshire Sea Grant describes oyster shell middens dating back about 2,500 years—evidence of their enduring place in the region’s food traditions. Oysters later became part of colonial trade and the working life of the estuary.
Wild oyster reefs once occupied far more of Great Bay. Today, food production, research and reef restoration are all part of the bay’s oyster story. Farming and restoration serve different purposes, but both depend on the health of the water.
Read New Hampshire Sea Grant’s history ↗SAMUEL EMERSON FARM · DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Rooted at Back River Farm.
The land and water around Back River Farm have shaped its agricultural story for centuries. Also known as Samuel Emerson Farm, this Dover farmstead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Explore Back River Farm’s historyAGRICULTURE, IN THE WATER
A crop grown
with care.
Oyster farming is aquaculture: the work of raising a crop in the water. Oysters feed on microscopic food already present in the estuary, while growers tend their stock, monitor conditions and plan the harvest.
At NESO, the deep cup is part of what we grow toward. It gives the oyster its character and helps tell the story behind Bellymans—our Great Bay oyster with a name rooted in a local Bellamy River tradition.
Explore our farm and process →GOOD THINGS IN A SMALL SHELL
Flavor, with
something to offer.
Eastern oysters provide protein and nutrients including iron, zinc and omega-3 fats, while being naturally low in saturated fat. Oysters are also a food source of vitamin B12.
Nutrient amounts vary with the oyster, serving size and preparation. Freshly shucked, baked or grilled, oysters bring their own distinctive place to a varied table.
Learn more from NOAA Fisheries and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Please also review our product handling information and raw-shellfish warning.
SMALL ANIMALS. MANY CONNECTIONS.
Part of the bay’s living fabric.
Habitat & shelter.
Wild oyster reefs create structure where other animals can find shelter and food. Rebuilding reef habitat is an important focus of restoration.
Nutrient cycling.
Oysters take up nutrients as they grow and influence the movement of material between the water and the bottom. These processes are part of a connected estuary.
CARBON, WITH CONTEXT
There is more
to the story.
Oyster ecosystems can store carbon in shells and sediments, while respiration and shell formation can also release carbon dioxide. Researchers have to account for all of these processes to understand the net effect.
Results vary with the setting and the way carbon is measured. That makes a simple acre-of-oysters versus acre-of-trees comparison unreliable as a description of this farm. The strongest story starts with the oyster’s role in food, habitat and the living estuary.
Further reading: Oyster reefs as carbon sources and sinks and Carbon Cycling in Oyster Ecosystems (2026).