The Hatchery · Wings Neck, Pocasset
Purpose-built for shellfish seed.
We produce bay scallop, eastern oyster and hard clam seed at our facility in Pocasset, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. The hatchery was completed in March 2023, and seed of all three species was first produced that spring.
Every stage lives under one roof — broodstock, larval, setting and postset — so production is consistent and reliable. Full recirculation capability supports both production and the research we run alongside it.
From broodstock to your gear
How seed is made
Broodstock
Adult bay scallops, oysters and quahogs are held and conditioned on site. Bay scallop broodstock is selected each year for growth, meat yield and coloration, with native Cape Cod stock introduced regularly; oyster lines carry decades of selection for disease resistance.
Spawning & larval culture
Each species is spawned in spring. The free-swimming larvae are reared in dedicated tanks and fed live microalgae grown a few steps away, with water quality managed around the clock.
Setting & post-set
At metamorphosis the larvae settle out of the water column and begin life as seed. Post-set animals are graded and moved through the setting systems as they grow.
Nursery
Seed grows through the nursery — from a millimeter to field-ready sizes. Every batch is handled, graded and counted on its way up.
Out the door
Finished seed ships to growers, towns and restoration projects across the US East Coast — and stocks our own farms.
Feed, grown in-house
Microalgae
Our fully automated microalgae system produces 1,500 liters of seven different species every day. Growing the feed ourselves means every larval tank and every batch of seed gets exactly the diet it needs, exactly when it needs it.
1,500 L
grown per day
7
algae species
Biosecurity
Clean water, every stage
All incoming seawater is filtered to one micron and UV-treated before it touches an animal. Hard clam seed is additionally tested and confirmed free of disease before shipment.
1 µm
filtration
UV
treatment on all intake
Three species, every spring
Bay Scallop
Argopecten irradians
Broodstock selected annually for growth, meat yield and coloration, with native Cape Cod stock introduced regularly.
Eastern Oyster
Crassostrea virginica
Disease-resistant lines crossed with Massachusetts aquaculture stock; suited to mid and high salinity.
Hard Clam
Mercenaria mercenaria
Native Cape Cod quahogs from Falmouth wild stock, selected for fast growth, hard shell and high meat yield.
The hatchery also runs as a research platform — from microalgae imaging to propagation work with towns and institutions across the East Coast.
Partners & innovation →