Effingham Inlet
Crassostrea gigas
Premium Pacific oyster from a pristine deep-water fjord in Barkley Sound, BC. Tray-suspended and tumbled for uniform deep cups. Plump, cream-colored meat with vibrant brine, natural sweetness, and a smooth watermelon-lettuce finish.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Smooth, lettuce-like with buttery notes
Expert Notes
Effingham Inlet oysters are cultivated in a remote, pristine deep-water fjord carved by glaciers on Vancouver Island's Pacific coast. Grown using suspension tray methods with monthly tumbling, these premium oysters develop uniform deep cups and hard shells. The cold, nutrient-rich waters produce plump, cream-colored meats with a vibrant briny flavor balanced by natural sweetness and a distinctive smooth, watermelon or lettuce-like finish. During spring and summer, oysters are dropped to 60 feet depth to maintain winter water temperatures, preventing spawning and ensuring premium meat quality year-round. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Effingham Inlet, Barkley Sound, West Coast Vancouver Island
- Size
- Small to Medium (2-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with smooth finish
- Meat Color
- Plump cream
What Experts Say
Across 7 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: watermelon, pure Pacific, vibrant
"Truly wonderful. Perhaps the obscure location makes them a little less known but a remarkable oyster all the same…………Large and firm with a wonderful briney taste ( you have to like brine) and a smooth buttery finish. Worth hunting them down!!!"
brinybutterysmooth
"This premium oyster is tray raised in the deep waters of Effingham Inlet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. This oyster has plump, cream colored meat with a briny flavor and smooth lettuce finish."
brinycreamysmoothlettuce
"Premium oyster from the nearly unpopulated, Pacific-facing side of Vancouver Island, home to countless bears and sea otters and a very few oyster farms. The flavor is pure Pacific."
brinyclean
"The 2 to 3 inch Effingham Inlets have plump cream-colored meat with a vibrant, briny flavor and a smooth lettuce-like finish."
brinyvibrantsmoothlettuce
"Effingham Oysters have plump, cream-colored meats with a bright, briny flavor and a smooth watermelon or lettuce-like finish."
brinybrightsmoothwatermelonlettuce
"Effingham Pacific Oysters, cultivated in the pristine waters of Canada's Effingham Inlet, provide a unique flavor profile that sets them apart. With a delicate balance of brininess, sweetness, and a smooth finish."
brinysweetsmooth
About the Farm
Effingham Oyster
Founded by Mica Verbrugge, the farm is located in a remote, pristine environment on the Pacific-facing side of Vancouver Island in Barkley Sound, within the Pacific Rim National Park. The area is internationally recognized and nearly unpopulated, home to countless bears and sea otters.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Effingham Inlet oysters are farmed in the deep waters of Effingham Inlet, located in Barkley Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The inlet is part of the Pacific Rim National Park and the Broken Group Islands, an area internationally recognized for kayaking and camping.
The remote location makes these oysters less widely known despite their premium quality. The area is accessible via the MV Frances Barkley vessel service and is home to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a world-class teaching and research facility.
Did You Know?
- Grown in 200-700 feet of water depth
- During spring and summer, oysters are dropped to 60 feet depth to maintain winter water temperature and prevent spawning
- The farm is located in one of the most remote and pristine environments on Vancouver Island
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 7 sources.
- Effingham Inlet Oyster — OysteRater
- Oysters - West Coast - Crassostrea gigas | Effingham — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Home - Effingham Oyster — Effingham Oyster
- The Story of Effingham Oysters — The Lady Oyster
- Superior Foods Oysters — Superior Foods
- Effingham Oysters — Chefs Resources
- OysterFinder — Oyster Guide
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Pacific Oyster (C. gigas): Cream, Cucumber, and the Japanese Legacy
Understanding the world's most cultivated oyster - from Japanese origins to West Coast dominance
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →