Olympia Oyster
Species
Olympia Oyster
The indigenous oyster of the West Coast, restored where it nearly vanished.
The Olympia oyster is not a rediscovered novelty. It is the original oyster of the Pacific Coast. Its return to commercial viability in Willapa Bay is the result of deliberate habitat decisions, not chance.
Historical context
When Mark Twain wrote about the oysters he loved most in San Francisco, he was writing about Olympia oysters harvested from Willapa Bay.
Species overview
Ostrea lurida
Olympias (Ostrea lurida) are the only oyster species native to the West Coast of North America. By the end of the nineteenth century, overharvesting, logging runoff, hydraulic mining, and widespread dredging had nearly eliminated them.
By the early twentieth century, they were functionally extinct across much of their historical range.
Restoration
How the Olympias Returned
Dredging had been conducted on our beds for nearly one hundred years before we took over. In 2021, when we acquired our first farm, we ended the practice entirely and encouraged the return of eelgrass.
Within twelve months, Olympia oysters reappeared in large numbers.
Biology and habitat
Why Olympias Need Stability
Olympia oysters are brooders, meaning they carry both male and female reproductive organs and fertilize eggs internally. This strategy requires firm substrate, low disturbance, and protection from sediment movement.
To support that, we placed oyster shell on our beds to stabilize the substrate and allowed eelgrass to return. The eelgrass slows water flow across the beds, while the shell provides attachment points. Ending dredging was the final requirement.
Scientific validation
Establishing the DNA Baseline
In 2024, the Washington State Department of Wildlife requested Olympia oysters from our beds for DNA testing to establish the base genetic reference for Olympias in Willapa Bay. This confirmed that the population had recovered as a true local lineage.
Ongoing Stewardship
We actively cull juvenile Olympias from the oysters we harvest and return them to the beds to continue growing. We are the only farm we know of that systematically practices this approach.
Commercial reality
A Small Oyster With a Long Timeline
Olympia oysters rarely exceed 1.5 inches in diameter and take three to five years to reach commercial size. They are slow-growing, low-yield, and demanding. They are also extraordinary.
Bottom line
The Best Oyster in the World
Today, we believe we have the largest wild, sustainable, commercial population of Olympia oysters in the world. If not, we will within the next three years. Like Mark Twain, we believe Olympias are simply the best oyster in the world.
Hands down.
About the author
Antony Barran
Founder of Willapa Wild and steward of Oysterville Sea Farms. Focused on restoring indigenous shellfish species through low disturbance farming and habitat recovery.
- Olympia oysters are the only oyster species native to the West Coast.
- Dredging and habitat disruption nearly eliminated the species.
- Low disturbance farming enables Olympia recovery.
- Firm substrate and eelgrass are essential to Olympia reproduction.
- Restoration is a result of system design, not accident.