A Guide to Ordering, Shucking, and Eating Oysters

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By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov.

October was National Seafood Month, and on the Maine coast it was also a month for oysters. We spent an afternoon at the 4th annual Camden Oyster & Beer Festival at The Wharf at Lyman-Morse on October 11, and in Portland, Maine Oysterfest took place on October 17 as part of Harvest on the Harbor.

Oyster farms span harbors across the US Harbors network, from Maine and Chesapeake Bay to Tomales Bay in California and Kodiak Island, Alaska. Each region’s waters leave their mark on the oysters grown there, which makes tasting your way along the coast one of the better reasons to visit a new harbor. Whether you’re ready to try your first oyster or want to explore new varieties, NOAA Fisheries gathered advice from growers and chefs to help.

According to a feature story from NOAA Fisheries:
Oysters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavor profiles, which can be intimidating if you’re not sure what to order. And there is so much to appreciate—not only how oysters taste, but also where they come from and the role oyster farming can play in supporting healthy coastal economies. A little bit of homework can go a long way when making a selection at an oyster bar or shellfish farm—so we asked some oyster experts for helpful tips.
The story offers a guide to choosing oysters by region and size and opening them at home, and it follows the shells after the meal, where they go back to work in the water.

Originally  published on 19 October, 2026.

Raw oysters on ice
Raw oysters on ice, on a sandy beach. Photo: Shutterstock, LydiaKay