About Us

Delicious Shellfish, Farmed Naturally 

View ProductsBecome a Vendor

THE Environment

The Growing Environment

Our farm is located in Baynes Sound between Denman Island and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Baynes Sound supports some of the most productive clam and oyster beaches in Canada and it is from this area where the majority of all commercial harvesting occurs on the Pacific Coast.

Human and oyster health are at the top of the list in our farming process. All of Mac’s farming areas are regularly monitored for water quality, environmental, animal and human health by government agencies, and by us using a third party lab. We monitor our areas daily, weekly and monthly depending on the issue we are monitoring for. Mac’s farm leases are located away from sources of pollution and a significant portion of them are in wilderness locations.

Shellfish Aquaculture

Oyster and clam cultivation, known as bivalve shellfish aquaculture is a low impact, low input endeavor. The farmer is providing a place for his shellfish crop to grow naturally, and will move and handle it, bag or tray it, and suspend or beach it to help maximize the bivalve’s growth.

Shellfish farming is remarkable in many ways. Unlike many methods of food production, it is truly harmonious with nature. The farmer provides no input – no feed, no medicine, no additives- the shellfish filters food from the ocean. The farmer monitors the water quality and the density of the crop. Oysters are constantly feeding and growing so they need space. We can say with certainty that it is truly a sustainable endeavor, as we have been harvesting for generations.

Farm sites are called ‘leases’ because they are leased from the Federal Government to Mac’s, or our network of supporting farmers. The main distinction between farmed or wild shellfish is the beach tenure, whether it is leased or not. An oyster farm can be made up of one lease or many. The farmer pays yearly fees to secure the lease and is required to invest a certain amount of effort and resources annually to cultivate the approved species.

Manila clams grow in sandy beaches at depths of 6 to 12 inches. Sometimes the beaches are seeded by the farmer, which are purchased from clam hatcheries. But often the natural setting is more than ample. When the tide is low, people go out to dig clams. All our clams are hand dug with a shovel and bucket. Then put in nets that are stored on the ocean bed. Clams are brought in from the ocean floor into the plant the day we pack and ship clams to you.

 

The Farms

Mac’s packs and sells both wild and farmed shellfish from distinct areas spread out over several hundred square kilometers. Many have their own distinct geography and environment.

The brand names we use depend on which areas of water or shoreline the oyster or clam is harvested from.

Each case of oysters or clams that you buy will have a shellfish tag with an Area Number printed on it. Each number identifies with the oyster or clam harvest location.

AREA 13: DISCOVERY PASSAGE AND ISLANDS

Mac’s Oyster Brand Name:
Mac’s Beach, Cortes Coves, Mac’s Petits

Mac’s Clams:
Manila, Littlenecks, Butter Clams

Discovery Passage is a channel that forms part of the Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and the Discovery Islands, north of the Georgia Strait. It is 25 km (44 miles) in length and is typically about 2 km (1.2 miles) in width. Most of the islands in this region have very few residents and the primary attraction to visitors is salmon fishing and the numerous fishing lodges.

Only Quadra Island and Cortes Island have ferry services and the remainder are served by private boat or float planes.

Source www.wikipedia.com

See Fisheries Management Areas listed under Area 13.

Download Google Earth link to Discovery Passage.

“Farm-Gate” Pricing and Quality for our Clients – Importers, Wholesalers, Distributors World Wide.

AREA 14: BAYNES SOUND

Mac’s Oyster Brand Name:
Buckley Bay, Ship Point, Deep Bay, Metcalfe’s, Denman Island, Mac’s Beach, Mac’s Petits

Mac’s Clams:
Manila, Savoury, littlenecks

Baynes Sound is a stretch of water between Denman Island and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The sound is a narrow western off-shoot of the Georgia Strait that separates Vancouver Island from the mainland of British Columbia. The area is actively harvested by the local oyster industry, and is apparent by an abundance of oyster farms. The sound is approximately 25km long and 3.5km wide at its widest point. The sound is dotted with the small communities of Royston, Union Bay, Buckley Bay, Mud Bay, Fanny Bay, and Deep Bay on Vancouver Island.

Source www.wikipedia.com

See Fisheries Management Areas listed under Area 14.

Download Google Earth link to Baynes Sound.

“Farm-Gate” Pricing and Quality for our Clients – Importers, Wholesalers, Distributors World Wide.

Happy Customers

“I have been buying oysters from. Mac’s for about 30 years. Big ones, little ones. In the shell and shucked. Once I bought a bag of baby oysters and seeded my own beach. Mac’s oysters are FANTASTIC!! I could eat them every day. Today my wife and I feasted on a full 32-ounce bin of mediums, fried in butter. Heaven. Thank You Mac’s!!!!!“

MAC'S OYSTERS LTD

Tel: 250-335-2129

Toll Free: 1 800-566-3805

Gordy Mclellan Jr., General Manager

Sally, Logistics and Customer Service Manager

Amanda, Operations

Luna, Sales and Customer Service

MAC'S OYSTERS LTD

Located on Canada's Pacific Coast

Pacific Time Zone

9:00AM @ Mac's =

12:00PM in New York (+3 hours)

6:00PM in Madrid (+9 hours)

Midnight in Taiwan (+15 hours)