Oysters are not simply a commodity; for many Americans, they are a symbol of a way of life. Sadly over the past decades, natural oyster reefs and subsequent wild harvests have dramatically declined to a fraction of historic levels. This trend has necessitated an alternative source – aquaculture or farming of the seas. Aquaculture is a sustainable method of producing protein for a growing global population and relieves harvest pressure on the wild populations. In some cases, such as oysters, the extensive process provides ecological benefits that improve the quality of entire ecosystems.
The Gulf coast oyster aquaculture industry is burgeoning but experiencing bottlenecks. Lack of consistent, quality seed availability limits industry-wide development and puts farms at financial risk. In response, FOTC has developed an innovative, patent-pending model to self-sufficiently produce oysters available to help farms aspiring to generate mass volume but cannot due to an inconsistent supply chain. This production model is breaking the chain of globalizing an antiquated concept and bringing fire to the people.