Basic Profile

Origin
Yaquina Bay and the Yaquina River, Newport, Oregon, USA
Species
Crassostrea gigas (Pacific Oyster)
Classification
Farmed; single producer
Farming Method
Suspended on ropes from floating docks, plus bottom culture worked by dredge
Producer
Oregon Oyster Farms
Visual Signature
Pacific oysters grown in clusters on rope

By the 1860s the native oyster beds of Yaquina Bay had caught the attention of San Francisco oyster firms, and a town called Oysterville was founded there in 1863. Overharvest quickly emptied the beds, and Oysterville disappeared with them.1

Native oysters from Yaquina Bay, Oregon (the small shells), in a plate published in 1896
Native oysters from Yaquina Bay, Oregon (the small shells), in a plate published in 1896. Photo: F. L. Washburn / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Since 1907

Oregon Oyster Farms was established on the bay in 1907 by the Wachsmuth family. Xin Liu and partners bought it in 1997, and it now works 560 acres along the Yaquina River with more than 25 employees.2 It is Oregon's oldest oyster farm.3

Rafts and High Tide

Most oysters grow in clusters on ropes hung from floating docks. The farm also keeps bottom ground, worked by a dredge boat called the Tom Bee, and harvests at high tide to keep the salinity of the catch consistent.2 Pacific oysters pay the bills. Kumamotos and the native Olympia are grown too, with about 50 dozen Olympias harvested a week.3

Flavor Breakdown

The water
The farm reports salinity of around 28 parts per thousand and water under 70°F.2 That is saltier than a river oyster and less salty than the open coast, so sweetness and salt arrive together.
The native
Descendants of the Yaqona people in the Confederated Tribes of Siletz helped bring oysters back to the bay.1 The Olympia is the one to try if it is on offer: small, and coppery in a way the Pacific is not.

What Makes Yaquina Bay Unique

One farm has worked this bay since 1907, on the same water where Oysterville rose and vanished in the 1860s.13 It grows the Pacific that replaced the native oyster and the native oyster itself.2

The Oregon coast oyster with the longest record. Buy it at the farm upriver from Newport, and ask for Olympias.

Should You Add Lemon?

Yes

The Pacific handles a squeeze. Leave the Olympias alone.

Pairing Guide

1
Oregon Pinot Gris

The state's white for the state's oyster.

2
Muscadet sur lie

Lean enough to let a small Olympia show.

OptimalPlain or lemon
AcceptableMignonette
AvoidCocktail sauce on the Olympias

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • Anyone who wants to taste a Pacific and a native Olympia from one bay
  • Visitors to Newport
Sources
  1. Oregon Travel Information Council. "Yaquina Bay" historical marker. oregontic.com
  2. Clarke, J. "Reviving the Riches of Yaquina Bay: The Story of Oregon Oyster Farm." The Briny Babe. thebrinybabe.com
  3. Caswell, D. (17 April 2020). "Oregon's Oystermen." Oregon Coast Magazine. oregoncoastmagazine.com
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