Bodie Island
Crassostrea virginica
The Outer Banks' first farmed oyster from North Carolina. Medium-sized with balanced salinity, offering a harmonious blend of sweet and salt with firm texture from off-bottom tray cultivation.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, balanced, slightly sweet
Expert Notes
Bodie Island represents the Outer Banks' first farmed oyster, cultivated in off-bottom trays by longtime fisherman Joey Daniels near Oregon Inlet. These oysters showcase the excellent growing conditions of North Carolina's fertile coastal waters, delivering a medium salinity with an ideal balance of sweet and salt. The consistent shape and good cup depth make them visually appealing, while the firm texture and robust taste reflect the unique merroir of the Outer Banks' dynamic tidal environment. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Outer Banks, North Carolina, Oregon Inlet
- Size
- Medium (2-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- Slightly translucent with classic Eastern coloring
- Meat Color
- Light gray to cream
What Experts Say
Across 9 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: world-class salt-flavor profile, walk the line between sweet and salty
"Growing this close to the mighty Atlantic, our oysters boast a world-class salt-flavor profile. They are pruned through mechanical tumbling several times during their average two-year growth cycle in order to break off the new growth on the shell, forcing the oyster to slow down and form a deeper cup with a thicker shell."
saltybrinyocean-forward
"The Outer Banks' first farmed oyster offers consistent shape with good cup depth for it medium size; medium salinity and good balance of sweet and salt."
sweetsaltybalanced
"Our oysters walk the line between sweet and salty"
sweetsaltybalanced
"Bodie Island Oysters are raised on the Outer Banks grow in waters close to Oregon Inlet—waters that are still filled with sea salts, which is reflective in their taste."
saltybriny
"Bodie Island Oysters, which is located on the Roanoke Sound, is noticeably milder and less saline than an oyster from Ocracoke or Hatteras."
mildless salineclean
About the Farm
Wanchese Fish Company / Joey Daniels
Founded by Joey Daniels, a fourth-generation Wanchese fish house family member, Bodie Island became the first cultivated oyster farm on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Joey transitioned from traditional fishing to oyster farming to provide year-round work and sustainability.
- Cultivation Method
- off-bottom trays
History & Background
Bodie Island oysters represent the first farmed oysters on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The operation began after Joey Daniels received approval for his oyster lease near Oregon Inlet. About a year and a half after planting his initial oyster seeds, Bodie Island became the first cultivated oyster in the region, marking a significant shift in North Carolina's oyster industry from wild harvesting to aquaculture.
This oyster farm is part of the broader revival of North Carolina's oyster industry. At one time North Carolina was a leading state in oyster production with harvests peaking at over 800,000 bushels in 1902, but wild populations declined dramatically to a record low of 35,000 bushels in 1994. The emergence of farms like Bodie Island represents the state's comeback story.
Did You Know?
- First farmed oyster on the Outer Banks of North Carolina
- Located near the iconic Bodie Island Lighthouse
- The off-bottom cages become nursery havens for barnacles, seaweed, juvenile fish, shrimp, crabs, and wild oysters, acting like miniature artificial reefs
- Each oyster filters millions of gallons of seawater daily
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 9 sources.
- Oysters - Wanchese Fish Company — wanchese.com
- Bodie Island Oyster — oysterater.com
- North Carolina oyster growers to share bounty at 2018 Pelican Awards — nccoast.org
- The World's Oyster — northbeachsun.com
- Outer Banks Oyster Season — carolinadesigns.com
- NC Oyster Revolution — oysterguide.com
- HOME IN AN OYSTER SHELL: New Oyster Aquaculture Operations Grow Seed, Take Root — ncseagrant.ncsu.edu
- North Carolina Oysters | A Comeback Story — carolinadesigns.com
- OBX Oysters 101 — outerbanks.org
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Learn More
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