Each year, August 5 is the day to celebrate everyone’s favorite briny bivalve mollusk: the oyster. Here on the Alabama Gulf Coast, we celebrate these delicacies every day.
How much do you know about oysters?
- One oyster can filter 1.3 gallons of water per hour through their gills. They feed on organisms such as plankton during the process.
- Oysters have been eaten by humans for thousands of years.
- Oysters change their gender during their lives. They all start off as males and most change to female by the time they are a year old.
- Oysters are good for you! They contain numerous nutrients and vitamins, including calcium, protein, vitamin A, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and high levels of vitamin B12.
- Most oysters harvested in the United States are the same species, crassotrea virginica. Salt content and nutrients vary in bodies of water, creating flavor profiles for different environments.
We want to add one myth-buster about eating oysters: The rule of only eating them in the months with an “R” no longer applies. Modern refrigeration and developments in food safety make it possible to enjoy your oysters year-round.
The Leave Only Footprints program helps to keep the Coastal Alabama bays and waterways clean for optimal oyster production. You can help by following the Leave No Trace guidelines wherever you travel.