Indian River Oyster Company

Dennis David, his wife, Ilonka, their daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Ryan Norris all work at the oyster farm. Photo: IROC

Since 2017, IROC – Indian River Oyster Company – in New Smyrna Beach has been growing oysters in the Indian River Lagoon, just south of Ponce Inlet. “We just produced our sixth crop,” says Dennis David, who works with his wife Ilonka, their daughter Jessica and her husband, Ryan Norris.

They start with oyster “seeds” that are in a larval stage for 21 days before settling on calcium carbonate. “They don’t move,” says David. The oysters grow in floating bags, feeding on plankton and algae, unfortunately in abundant supply and hampering the growth of seagrass. But oysters take in algae and can filter up to 50 gallons of water in a day – and they are thriving. “They grow quickly here, ready for harvest in 10-12 months, mostly for the oyster bar market,” he says.

IROC also participates in the oyster recycling program through the Marine Discovery Center, which has recycled hundreds of thousands of pounds of oyster shells to create oyster beds and mats for the Indian River Lagoon estuary. This helps create new oyster reefs to restore populations that have been declining because of over-harvesting, rising sea levels and careless boaters.

IROC sells oysters retail and wholesale, supplies local restaurants, and shucks them for special events. They also offer three-mile paddle tours of the lagoon with oyster tastings.