Shellfish Grower Job Description:

Cultivates and harvests beds of shellfish, such as clams and oysters: Lays out and stakes tide flats (ground beneath shallow water near shoreline). Piles up stone, poles, and mud, using farm tractor and hand implements to make dikes to control water drainage at low tide. Removes debris by hand and levels soil with tractor and harrow. Sows spat by hand or with shovel or sets out strings or baskets of shells onto which spat attaches. Covers seeded area with mixture of sand and broken shells or transfers seeded strings or baskets to growing area. Rigs net or star mop (mop of heavy rope yarn) and drags it over bed behind power boat to entangle and remove shellfish predators, such as crabs and starfish. Walks about bed at low tide, and scoops or digs shellfish and piles them onto barge or mud sled, using pitchfork or shovel. Packs shellfish, according to market specifications, in containers and returns small ones to bed. Poles barge to wharf at high tide or pulls it, using boat. Drags mud sled from bed, using tractor. May pour oil around bed and spread oil-treated sand over bed with shovel to form chemical barrier to shellfish predators. May reach from boat with rake-tongs and grope for shellfish by moving handles to open and close tongs. May supervise workers who cultivate and harvest bed. May negotiate with buyers for sale of crop. May be designated according to type of shellfish grown as Clam Grower (fishing & hunt.); Oyster Grower (fishing & hunt.).