Quick Oyster Farm Update

The Tabor Academy Oyster Farm returned to the shores of Sippican Harbor last summer. A significant addition to the community, the Oyster Farm serves several purposes.

Oysters are filter organisms, meaning they will improve the water quality, keep the water clean, and in turn promote the growth of underwater grasses that allow aquatic species, such as fish and crabs, to live and thrive.

In April 2023, Steven and Kellsie Ham pulled up the sunken cages that were placed last season and went to work on redeploying the oysters in floating gear. According to Steven, the oysters survived the winter well and anticipates they will grow quickly as the warm weather approaches. He says, “I am hopeful that the oysters will be between two and three inches by July, and we will then be able to transplant them in coordination with the town of Marion to make way for more juvenile oysters on the farm site.”

Once the oysters are ready for harvest, Tabor will work with the Town of Marion to make them available to residents.

In addition to the environmental and commercial benefits the Tabor’s Oyster Farm provides, it also opens the door for place-based learning opportunities. Pictured below, in Elizabeth Leary’s Marine Fisheries class, students visited the oyster farm and learned about oyster aquaculture from Steven. While there, they also heard from Dan Eilertsen P’21, ’24 and discussed commercial scalloping.