Inside a Virginia Oyster Operation w/ Lake Cowart Jr.

In this episode I’m joined by Lake Cowart Jr. of Cowart Seafood Corporation, one of the largest oyster operations on the East Coast. We talk about how oysters are grown today, the role hatcheries and triploid oysters play in modern aquaculture, and how factors like salinity, weather, disease, and predators shape production in the Chesapeake Bay. Lake also shares his perspective on regulation, why Virginia’s leasing system works, and how water quality and industry collaboration are improving conditions on the water.

This is my second recent conversation with an oyster farmer, and together the episodes highlight just how diverse and complex this industry really is.

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