The Story

Pamlico Sound has long been a shell-fishing playground for locals and visitors alike. Clamming and oystering on weekends with their water-loving spaniel, Spurgeon and Katherine began to think about the opportunity to bring the unique freshness and flavor of Hatteras Island oysters to the general public. The Sound, calmed by the land break of Hatteras Island and constantly refreshed with tidal seawater produces oysters that have a clean salty taste. They began applying for permits in 2010, but it took four years to clear the bureaucratic hurdles and begin cultivating.

 In its first season of production, Slash Creek found a ready market for its oysters but Spurgeon and Katherine learned the hard lessons of farming in a hurricane season that wiped out much of their crop. Consistent feedback from customers that their oysters are the best they’ve ever tasted convinced them to invest in new, sturdier equipment to keep producing and growing their Slash Creek oysters. As word has spread, demand has grown each year for these plump and creamy gems both in North Carolina and out of state. Slash Creek Oyster Company is in the vanguard of restoring oyster farming as a vital industry in North Carolina and advocates for supporting small farmers who farm responsibly and sustainably.

Katherine & Spurgeon

After years of working in corporate jobs, Katherine McGlade was looking for a way to work outside when she came across oyster mariculture.

McGlade saw an opportunity to make a quality product in an industry that seemed underserved in North Carolina. In 2015, she started her own mariculture business in Sandy Bay near Hatteras. Here, she leases about five acres and is slowly growing the amount of product she produces.

McGlade’s husband is a seasonal commercial fisherman, and during his off-season, he works with her on the lease. She also employs four people part-time.

She grows her oysters using floating bags and has experimented growing them in bottom cages. McGlade said that it’s her lease location that makes her oysters unique. Even oysters grown within a 10-mile radius of her lease won’t necessarily taste the same. While she admitted she’s not a taste expert, McGlade said her oysters are salty and plump compared to others.

McGlade said she is focused on improving production and growing her operations. She wants to encourage potential new growers to start their own oyster mariculture operations in North Carolina, and educate them about the investment and time it takes to start a new operation, as well as the many factors that can affect oyster growth