Portable

​

Oysters are sessile by nature and spend their entire life where they settle; farms are stuck in place by choice. Farmers play Goldilocks finding the “just right” site to permit their farms where oysters thrive. However, usage conflicts, pollution, gear limitations, cost and regulations can restrict Goldilocks bandwidth to a sliver. Oyster Paradise can go to hell for oysters and farmers from many causes that are increasing in scope, frequency and intensity. The future is more uncertain than ever as climate change spawns unprecedented storms and polluting floods that fuels hypoxia and harmful algal blooms (HABs) that threaten both oyster and human health. Gear and infrastructure destruction, mass mortality, stunted growth and extended harvested closures that disrupt cash flow have become the new normal for many farms, especially along the Gulf Coast. Most threats are known and predictable but farms lack capability or capacity to escape harm. The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is certainly applies.

Shellevator takes you to a better place seamlessly in just minutes to prevent harm without handling gear or getting wet. The pontoon models tow easily with little resistance by even a kayak. An entire farm can be moved miles in a few hours by tethering together a Shellevator train. They can also be moved over land by loading on a trailer. Escaping harm is only one of the many advantages of Shellevator portability. The half-shell market that desires a salty flavor. Oysters grown in low salinity water can be moved just prior to harvest and quickly acquire the desired salinity that increases their value. Salinity also influences growth rates; following optimal salinity can enhance growth and profitability. However, oysters can lose value if they get too big and are diverted to shucking. When supply exceeds demand, oyster growth can be managed by moving them to low salinity areas to slow growth until the market recovers. Shellevator can serve as a mobile depuration plant to purge pathogens from oysters grown in impaired waters. Shore based depuration require expensive facilities, equipment and lots of electricity. The cost is prohibitive for depuration processes that take more than a few days, which is not sufficient for viral pathogens and vibrios that require weeks to purge to acceptable levels for raw consumption. Shellevator can be moved to the most pristine areas and left as long as needed to purge even the most persistent hazards with no additional cost.

Shellevator is paradigm shift from farming to herding oysters in greener and cleaner pastures.

Free oysters to move seamlessly through all waters in pursuit of life, quality and safety.