Our Operations
Hatchery to Harvest: Multi-Species Shellfish Production
OVERVIEW
Facility Overview
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Established: 1988 (3rd generation family business)
Production Capacity: Available upon request for qualified wholesale, investment, or partnership inquiries.
Facilities:
- Integrated hatchery and nursery (land-based)
- Multiple marine grow-out sites (licensed tenure areas)
- Processing facility
- Cold storage and distribution
Species Produced:
- Geoduck (Panopea generosa)
- Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)
- Manila clams (Venerupis philippinarum)
Certifications: CFIA registered facility.
Team: 3 employees across hatchery, field operations, processing, quality control, and administration.
Energy Sources:
- Electricity: BC Hydro (98% renewable — primarily hydro)
- Heating: Propane (transitioning to electric heat pumps 2026)
- Emergency backup: Diesel
HATCHERY
Integrated Hatchery Operations
Our hatchery produces seed for all species year-round, providing consistent supply independent of wild settlement.
Geoduck
- Wild-caught broodstock selection
- Temperature-controlled conditioning
- Thermal spawning induction
Pacific Oysters
- Conditioned in hatchery using controlled seawater flow, aeration, and live microalgae
- Spawning managed under hatchery conditions
- Eggs and sperm fertilized before transfer into larval rearing tanks
Manila Clams
- Hatchery-conditioned broodstock
- Controlled spawning protocols
- Larvae reared on live microalgae
Larval Rearing (All Species)
- Species-specific culture protocols
- Large-volume rearing tanks
- Live microalgae diet produced on-site
- Continuous water quality monitoring
- Typical duration: 2–4 weeks depending on species
Settlement & Juvenile Culture
- Species-appropriate substrates
- Protected grow-out systems
- Size-specific feeding regimens
- Duration: 3–12 months to field-ready size
Hatchery Infrastructure
- Capacity: 18 upwellers with approximately 1 million oyster seed per upweller per batch (~18 million per batch at full capacity). Seasonal capacity varies by species, seed size, algae supply, and hatchery schedule.
- Seawater intake: Courtenay area, filtered and UV-treated
- Temperature control systems
- Backup power (diesel generator)
- Biosecurity protocols
ALGAE CULTURE
On-Site Algae Production
We culture live microalgae on-site to feed larval and juvenile shellfish across all species.
Algae Species Cultured
- Isochrysis galbana
- Pavlova lutheri
- Chaetoceros calcitrans
- Tetraselmis sp.
Culture Systems
- Indoor photobioreactors
- LED lighting (energy-efficient)
- Automated monitoring
- Continuous production cycles
Production Capacity
12 outdoor algae tanks of 14m³ each (~168,000 litres total culture tank volume). Daily algae delivery is adjusted to production needs.
Inputs
- Filtered seawater
- Commercial algae nutrients
- CO2 enrichment (improves growth rates)
- Electricity for lighting and aeration
This integrated algae production is included in our geoduck LCA footprint and will be included in future species assessments.
NURSERY
Nursery Systems
Juvenile shellfish are grown in protected nursery systems until large enough for field deployment.
Primary Nursery Method: FLUPSY (Floating Upweller System)
How it works:
- Juveniles placed in fine-mesh trays
- Seawater pumped upward through trays
- Natural plankton from seawater provides food
- Protects from predators during vulnerable phase
Species-Specific Protocols
Geoduck
- Nursery duration: 6–12 months
- Target size: 20–30mm shell length
- Survival rate: 70–85%
Oysters
- Reared through settlement to commercial screen sizes (1,400µm, 1,800µm, 2,000µm, 2,380µm)
- Graded and supplied to growers May–August
Clams
- Reared through settlement to commercial screen sizes (1,400µm, 1,800µm, 2,000µm, 2,380µm)
- Graded and supplied to growers May–August
FIELD OPERATIONS
Field Grow-Out Operations
All species complete final grow-out in natural marine environments at our licensed tenure sites.
Geoduck Field Operations
Site Preparation
- Licensed intertidal tenure areas
- Sediment suitability assessment
- Predator exclusion planning
Planting
- Juveniles planted individually in sediment
- PVC protective tubes installed (first 1–2 years)
- Tubes prevent predation while geoduck establish deep burrows
- Tubes removed once geoduck burrow >30cm deep
Grow-out
- Duration: 5–7 years to market size
- No external feeding (filter phytoplankton from water)
- Periodic monitoring for growth and survival
- Environmental conditions monitored
Harvest
- Selective hand-harvest at market size (1–3 kg)
- Low-pressure water to temporarily liquefy sediment
- Minimal habitat disturbance
- Immediate live transport to facility
Oyster Operations
Manatee produces hatchery oyster seed for supply to licensed shellfish growers. Seed is reared through settlement and graded to commercial screen sizes. Grow-out, harvest, and field operations are carried out by the purchasing grower at their own sites.
Manila Clam Operations
Manatee produces hatchery Manila clam seed for supply to licensed shellfish growers. Seed is reared through settlement and graded to commercial screen sizes. Grow-out, harvest, and field operations are carried out by the purchasing grower at their own sites.
Licensed Tenure Areas
We operate licensed marine tenure areas across British Columbia coastal waters. All sites are: Provincially licensed for shellfish aquaculture · Monitored for water quality · Subject to regular inspections · Managed to minimize environmental impact
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Harvest Operations
All species harvested selectively at optimal size and market timing:
- Geoduck: Hand-harvest with water jets
- Oysters: Seed supplied to growers; harvest by grower
- Clams: Seed supplied to growers; harvest by grower
Quality Control at Harvest
- Visual inspection
- Size grading
- Immediate live transport to facility
- Temperature control maintained
Processing Facility
- Live sorting and grading
- Cleaning/washing
- Quality inspection
- Packaging for shipment
- Cold storage
Food Safety
- CFIA registered facility
- Regular water quality testing at grow-out sites
- Biotoxin monitoring program compliance
- Traceback systems for full traceability
Distribution
- Domestic: live product transport in cooled trucks
- Live export orders shipped by air freight through Pacific Rim Shellfish (dba The Lobsterman), with packaging, routing, and documentation confirmed at time of order
- Export markets: Hong Kong, China, Japan, and Korea (through Pacific Rim Shellfish / The Lobsterman)
Environmental Management
Current Practices
Energy
- BC Hydro electricity (98% renewable sources)
- Propane for hatchery heating (transitioning to electric)
- Diesel for equipment (electrification program underway)
- LED lighting throughout facility
Water
- Seawater intake with screening to prevent organism entrainment
- Outfall dispersion design
- No chemical treatments in discharge
Waste
- Shell waste: developing a shell waste management program to improve documentation and support future LCA updates
- Algae waste composted
- Standard recycling programs
Monitoring
- Regular water quality testing at all sites
- Growth and survival monitoring
Improvement Initiatives
- Renewable Energy Transition: Electric heat pumps to replace propane (Q2 2026) · Equipment electrification program (Q3 2026) · On-site solar installation (Q4 2026)
- Shell Waste Carbon Storage: Program to ensure shells stored permanently (Q1 2027) · Maximizes carbon sequestration benefit
- Multi-Species LCA Program: Oyster LCA (2026) · Clam LCA (2027) · Comprehensive environmental verification
Regulatory Compliance
All operations fully comply with:
Federal: Fisheries Act, Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations
Provincial: BC Aquaculture Regulation, tenure requirements
Environmental: Canadian Environmental Protection Act requirements
Food Safety: HACCP, CFIA shellfish safety requirements
Inspections & Audits
- Regular CFIA inspections
- Provincial tenure compliance audits
- Water quality monitoring (government-mandated program)
Licenses & Permits
- Land-Based Hatchery Licence: DFO Facility Ref. No. 1617, Licence No. AQFW 140337 (valid to June 18, 2033)
- Marine Grow-Out Licence: DFO Facility Ref. No. 1871, Licence No. AQSF 145050 2025 (valid to April 30, 2034)