Hooper Island Oyster Aquaculture Company, LLC.

hooperisland_logo.png

Hooper Island Oyster Aquaculture Company was created by the vision of two men who have spent their life on the Eastern Shore. Ricky Fitzhugh and Johnny Shockley found an opportunity to revitalize the Chesapeake Bay while simultaneously re-establishing the oyster, a sustainable food source to their area.  

Johnny is a third-generation waterman who made a living working the bay for crab. Ricky bought and sold fish from the waterman in Dorchester County. Harvesting numbers were inconsistent and every year state and federal regulations made it difficult for waterman to make a living wage.  Ricky and Johnny saw the industry being pinched by low harvest numbers and heavy regulations and decided to take a gamble.

The oyster laws in the state of Maryland were changed four years ago for the first time in one hundred years.  It allowed private individuals and corporations to "lease" the bottom in the bay to grow oysters.  Oyster aquaculture was the opportunity that brought these two men together.  In a period of three years these men have formed a transparent and sustainable company and established an oyster equipment line second to none.  

HIOAC has an open door policy and shares the knowledge of successes and failure with all growers to help the industry grow. Every grower in the bay is connected and they all share the responsbility of the bay's reputation.  They believe their neighbors' success is their success.