Pacific Ocean

Canada West Coast

British Columbia's rugged coastline and pristine waters produce exceptional Pacific oysters. The cold, glacier-fed waters create oysters with remarkable sweetness balanced by bright, clean salinity.

Water Temperature Cold (40-55°F)
Salinity Moderate (25-32 ppt)
Best Seasons Year-round (best September - April)
Primary Species Crassostrea gigas (Pacific oyster)

Typical Flavor Profile

SweetMelonCucumberClean

Growing Regions

Vancouver Island

Fanny BayBaynes SoundCortes Island

BC's oyster heartland. Fanny Bay has become synonymous with quality Pacific oysters.

Sunshine Coast

Okeover InletDesolation Sound

Pristine waters with low boat traffic produce exceptionally clean-tasting oysters.

Famous Varieties

Notable oysters from this region

Oysters from Canada West Coast

Baynes Sound oyster illustration

Baynes Sound

British Columbia

Tray-raised and beach-hardened oyster from British Columbia's productive Baynes Sound. Medium salty with a clean, refreshing cucumber finish and balanced mineral sweetness. The archetypal BC oyster.

Beach Angel oyster illustration

Beach Angel

Canada West Coast

Beach-grown Pacific oyster from Cortes Island, BC. Firm and sweet with robust briny flavor, featuring distinctive notes of cucumber, grass, and melon rind. Crisp and ocean-fresh.

Black Pearl oyster illustration

Black Pearl

British Columbia

Small Pacific oyster with distinctive smooth, dark purple-black shells. Tumbled cultivation produces delicate, deep-cupped shells with mild, buttery meat and a clean nori finish.

Buckley Bay oyster illustration

Buckley Bay

Canada West Coast

A premium Pacific oyster from Baynes Sound, British Columbia. Tray-raised and beach-hardened for firm meats and strong shells. Balanced brininess with distinctive melon and cucumber finish.

Chef's Creek oyster illustration

Chef's Creek

Canada West Coast

A quintessential British Columbia oyster from Baynes Sound. Tray-suspended for 12-18 months, developing deep cups and full meats. High brininess with creamy texture, finishing sweet with hints of melon and lettuce.

Deep Bay oyster illustration

Deep Bay

British Columbia

A sweet, plump Pacific oyster from Vancouver Island's Deep Bay. Cultivated using bag-to-beach methods for consistent deep cups. Features mild brininess with a distinctive light watermelon finish and ultra-clean taste.

Denman Island oyster illustration

Denman Island

British Columbia

Clean, delicate Pacific oyster from Baynes Sound, BC. Sweet and balanced with moderate brine, firm texture, and a distinctive cucumber finish with hints of watermelon.

Effingham Inlet oyster illustration

Effingham Inlet

British Columbia

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.

Emerald Cove oyster illustration

Emerald Cove

British Columbia

A suspended tray-cultured Pacific oyster from Denman Island, BC. Medium salinity with full, plump, creamy meats, clean mild flavor, and a distinctive cucumber finish. Beautiful green pearlescent shells.

Evening Cove oyster illustration

Evening Cove

British Columbia

Beach cultured Pacific oyster from Vancouver Island's Evening Cove. Features firm meats with a clean, mildly briny flavor and distinctive watermelon finish. Beautiful fluted shells make for elegant presentations.

Fanny Bay oyster illustration

Fanny Bay

British Columbia

The archetypal BC oyster. Smooth and balanced with sweet, buttery notes and a signature crisp cucumber finish.

Gigamoto oyster illustration

Gigamoto

British Columbia

A petite farm-raised Pacific oyster from Deep Bay, British Columbia. Small and delicate with balanced brine and sweetness, finishing with distinctive slightly smoky, vegetable-like notes.

Imperial Eagle Channel oyster illustration

Imperial Eagle Channel

British Columbia

Beach-cultured Pacific oyster from Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island's wild west coast. Deep-cupped and plump with high brininess balanced by natural sweetness, finishing with distinctive cucumber and watermelon-rind notes.

Komo Gway oyster illustration

Komo Gway

Canada West Coast

Beach-grown Pacific oyster from Baynes Sound on Vancouver Island. Clean, briny flavor with firm texture, subtle cucumber notes, and a slightly sweet finish. Harvested from the traditional territory of the K'ómoks First Nation.

Kusshi oyster illustration

Kusshi

British Columbia

The 'ultimate' tumbled oyster. Intensively shaped in mechanical drums to create a smooth, purple-black shell with an exceptionally deep cup and pillowy meat. Clean, delicate flavor with mild brininess.

Malaspina oyster illustration

Malaspina

British Columbia

Hardy beach-grown Pacific oyster from Malaspina Inlet, Vancouver Island. Firm and plump with a crisp, briny flavor and distinctive cucumber-like finish. Rugged shells and dark mantle from extreme tidal conditioning.

Marina's Top Drawer oyster illustration

Marina's Top Drawer

Canada West Coast

Deepwater suspended-tray oyster from Cortes Island, BC. Exceptionally clean and slightly sweet with subtle brininess. Features a distinctive frilly, black-and-purple shell with delicate, refined flavor.

Nootka Sound oyster illustration

Nootka Sound

British Columbia

Remote intertidal beach-farmed oyster from the fjords of West Vancouver Island. Art-deco striped shells in pink, purple, and green. Complex flavor with high brininess, nori sweetness, hints of muskmelon and raw milk, finishing with anise.

Okeover oyster illustration

Okeover

British Columbia

Sweet, balanced Pacific oyster from Okeover Inlet in Desolation Sound, BC. Fresh crisp sweetness with light-salty brine and a clean finish. Grown in nutrient-rich waters with distinctive deep shells.

Phantom Creek oyster illustration

Phantom Creek

British Columbia

A mild, sweet Pacific oyster from Cortes Island, BC. Grown using a unique suspension-to-beach method for firmer meats and stronger shells. Clean finish with delicate brininess.

Quadra Island oyster illustration

Quadra Island

British Columbia

Small, cocktail-sized Pacific oysters from Desolation Sound, British Columbia. Tray-grown with delicate, artfully ridged shells. Light and sweet with green apple candy notes and a subtle tarragon finish.

Read Island oyster illustration

Read Island

British Columbia

Extra-small tray-grown Pacific oyster from British Columbia's Discovery Islands. Mild and fresh with a sweet finish and delicate shells. Deep-cupped with clean, refined flavor perfect for raw service.

Royal Courtesan oyster illustration

Royal Courtesan

British Columbia

Beach-raised Pacific oyster from Cortes Island, BC. Bold, briny, and metallic with robust mineral intensity and a strong, clean finish. Cultivated by renowned oyster farmer Brent Petkau.

Satori oyster illustration

Satori

British Columbia

Pacific oyster from British Columbia cultivated using deep water start, tumbling, and beach methods. Medium brininess with fresh, clean taste and distinctive cucumber finish.

Sawmill Bay oyster illustration

Sawmill Bay

British Columbia

Sustainably farmed Pacific oyster from British Columbia's glacier-fed Discovery Islands. Medium-sized with firm texture, balanced brininess and sweetness, and a crisp, clean finish with subtle umami notes.

Ships Point oyster illustration

Ships Point

British Columbia

Beach-grown Pacific oyster from Baynes Sound, British Columbia. Moderately salty with a mild, sweet flavor and distinctive bitter cucumber finish. Naturally tumbled by winter storms.

Sinku oyster illustration

Sinku

British Columbia

Deep-water suspended Pacific oyster from British Columbia. Clean and briny with a mild, cold milk taste and no vegetal notes. Crisp texture from cold-water cultivation at 15-40 feet depth.

Stellar Bay oyster illustration

Stellar Bay

British Columbia

A tumbled Pacific oyster from British Columbia with a smooth, deep purple-black shell. Abundantly meaty with a mild, clean flavor featuring subtle sweetness and a melon-like finish.

Summer Ice oyster illustration

Summer Ice

Canada West Coast

Deep-water BC oyster cultivated at 20-50 feet depths to maintain winter condition year-round. Very salty and briny with a rich, fruity finish from feeding on zooplankton in cold Pacific waters.

Zen oyster illustration

Zen

British Columbia

A sustainably farmed Pacific oyster from Denman Island, BC. Firm and plump with moderate salinity, mild sweetness, and a distinctive delicate melon finish. Deep-cupped, sculpted shells from tumbling.

Perfect Pairings

Traditional accompaniments for Canada West Coast oysters