Guest feature: Cassandra M. Vanhooser is the director of the Talbot County Office of Economic Development and Tourism. Follow Talbot County on Facebook .

It’s a simple concept, really. The oyster industry is not producing enough larvae to meet the demand in the marketplace, and Ferry Cove Shellfish  intends to plug this hole in the supply chain.

When fully functional, this new, state-of-the-art facility in Sherwood, just a stone’s throw from the Chesapeake Bay, is poised to become one of the largest oyster hatcheries on the East Coast. The mission: sell oyster larvae to commercial growers, thereby increasing oyster production and feeding the hungry oyster market.

Of course, if it were that easy, there might be a hatchery on every corner.

“Hatcheries are expensive to operate and the return on investment is low,” says Stephan Abel, Ferry Cove’s president and CEO. “To break even and make money, you’ve got to produce a high volume.”

One look at the modern industrial complex tells you the company is planning to do just that. Ferry Cove Shellfish is using cutting-edge technology and the latest scientific discoveries to maximize efficiencies and lengthen the growing season. This will increase the number of larvae they can produce and sell over the growing season.

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