Small oyster farm selling direct to buyers

Restaurants, oyster bars, fishmongers, specialty shops and sometimes distributors who want a named local farm.

You sell your own oysters by the dozen or by the hundred. Sales only start once the first crop reaches market size, which typically takes a couple of years.

• Comfortable with boats and outdoor physical work
• Patience and attention to water and crop conditions
• Selling and keeping in touch with buyers

• Aquaculture licences and site approvals can be slow, and rules differ by province and coast, so check before spending money
• Shellfish harvest areas can close because of contamination or biotoxins, so check how the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program applies
• Crop losses from weather, disease or predators, and a long wait before the first sales
• Winter ice and storms can limit access and damage gear
• Insurance for the boat, gear and liability, and whether you need a separate licence to sell beyond your province

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $25,000 to $120,000, depending on your site, boat, gear and insurance. There is also a long wait before the first sales, so plan your cash flow for that gap.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on crop size, harvest timing and which buyers you sell to. Crop losses from weather, disease or predators can reduce what you have to sell.

Check aquaculture licences and site approvals, which can be slow and differ by province and coast. Also check how the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program applies, and whether you need a separate licence to sell beyond your province.