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Know someone who’s made southern oyster farming better? It’s time to nominate them for the 2027 Oyster South Awards! This year we’re looking at impact over the last 3 or 4 years. You can nominate a person, a company or an organization, and you can nominate yourself too. 🦪 Jules Melancon Award for improving production 🦪 Jim Gossen Award for growing appreciation of southern oysters 🦪 Environmentalist Award for a healthier coast (with a new name coming soon) Everyone who submits a nomination goes into a drawing for a $100 Oyster South gift card. You can use it on merch or toward Symposium registration. Winners will be honored at the 2027 Oyster South Symposium, March 4–6 in Wilmington, NC. Nominations close Nov 8. Link in bio! Rob McDaniel, chef and owner of Helen and Bayonet in Birmingham, AL, received the 2026 Jim Gossen Award for championing Southern farm-raised oysters and the farmers behind them. #OysterSouth #OSSympossium2027

Last category, and it’s the one for the oyster people. 🦪 Bolo ties, brass keychains, oyster feasts, and packages from The Oyster Bed, plus two one-of-a-kind pieces from our designer Sarah Lawrence: a tote made from a Symposium banner and a bowl made from crushed oyster shells. Some of these have more than one available, so swipe to see the details. Bidding closes Tuesday, Oct 20 at 9pm ET. Link in bio. Every bid supports Oyster South. Thank you Fossil + Hide, Row 34, SharkBite Oysters, The Oyster Bed, and Sarah Lawrence These solid brass oyster keychains are cast from one of the first oysters grown by the team at Shiny Dimes in Spring Creek, FL. Fossil + Hide makes each one in Atlanta from recycled brass scrap, using sand casting, a technique that dates back to 1300 B.C. That means no two are exactly alike. 🦪 Three available, mailed to the winners with taxes and shipping included. Value $68, bidding starts at $20. Thank you Fossil + Hide! Link in bio. A New England seafood feast, shipped to your door. 🦪 This Row 34 feast isn’t on their menu and isn’t for sale anywhere. It’s exclusive to the winning bidder. It feeds up to 10 people and includes lobster rolls (some assembly required), clam chowder, crab cakes, stuffed clams, fish pate and oysters. Detailed instructions come with it, plus a signed Row 34 cookbook for when you want to make your own feast. Row 34 has five restaurants in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Shipping and taxes are included. Two available. Value $1,000, bidding starts at $500. Thank you Row 34 for supporting Oyster South! Link in bio. Up your oyster accessory game. 🦪 Sam Walsh of SharkBite Oysters in New Smyrna Beach, FL kept some of the shells from his oysters and wondered why not give them a second life. The result is a handcrafted, farmer-made oyster shell bolo tie, one of a kind and not sold anywhere else online. Each one is shipped to the winner’s address. Three available. Value $45, bidding starts at $20. Thank you SharkBite Oysters for supporting Oyster South! Link in bio. Cooking and serving a dozen oysters at home just got easier. 🦪 The Oyster Bed’s American-made platters go from the grill or oven st

Our tenth in-person Symposium is set for March 4-6, 2027 in Downtown Wilmington, NC. Growers, dealers, chefs, shuckers, researchers and more - can’t wait to bring this community together again. More details coming soon! 🦪 . #OysterSouth #SouthernOysters #OSSymposium2027

Oyster South is what happens when farmers, chefs, scientists, food writers, and oyster lovers all end up in the same room. . We’re a nonprofit founded in 2016 with a simple belief — that Southern oyster farmers deserve more support, Southern waters deserve more protection, and Southern food culture deserves more celebration. . We do that through farmer resources, education, the annual Oyster South Symposium, storytelling initiatives like ShellBound, and every October, Landlocked — our annual fundraiser and the event that brings this whole community together. . If you care about where your food comes from, the health of our coastal waters, and the people doing the hard work of growing it — stick around. 🦪 . #OysterSouth #SouthernOysters #OysterFarming #CoastalCommunity #Landlocked10

Every Landlocked ticket directly supports the work of Oyster South year round. . Peer to Pier funds travel for Southern oyster farmers to connect with growers, chefs, and industry partners across the country. The Oyster South Symposium brings together producers, researchers, distributors, and chefs to tackle the real challenges facing Southern aquaculture. Our community programs keep that network strong between events. And our storytelling initiatives – including ShellBound docuseries – help bring the world of Southern oyster farming to wider audiences. . Landlocked is a really good afternoon. It’s also how Oyster South keeps the work going all year. 🦪 . 📸: @instaoffish_lisa . #OysterSouth #SouthernOysters #Landlocked10 #OysterFarming #10Years

At Oyster South’s 2026 Symposium, we were proud to once again recognize individuals whose leadership, innovation, and dedication continue to shape the future of Southern oyster aquaculture. These awards celebrate the people who strengthen our industry from the water to the table and within the communities that sustain it. . Each of the 2026 award recipients reflects Oyster South’s core vision of successful farmers, healthy waters, and good food. Through research, advocacy, culinary leadership, and environmental stewardship, their work supports oyster growers, advances coastal resilience, and deepens appreciation for Southern farm-raised oysters across the region. . We are pleased to announce that the 2026 Jim Gossen Award was presented to Rob McDaniel, chef and owner of Helen and Bayonet in Birmingham, Alabama! 🦪 . This award is named after Southern food champion Jim Gossen and is given to an individual who goes above and beyond to promote Southern farm-raised oysters and the people and culture behind them. . From co-founding the Alabama Oyster Social in 2015 to promoting Southern oysters on his menus, Rob has helped build momentum for the industry and spotlight the farmers behind it. His restaurant Bayonet was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin Guide’s first edition for the American South, recognizing exceptional food and genuine hospitality. . Rob continues to celebrate Southern oysters in a way that strengthens the connection between farmers, chefs, and community. . #ossympossium2026 #knowyourchef . Photo credit: @evansmeatsandseafood

Hey Oyster South community! The talks from our recent Houston Industry Symposium are now LIVE on our YouTube. A very special THANK YOU shoutout to Bill Walton for editing these and sharing them! . Be sure to view them all at the link in our profile - AND subscribe to our channel. We are already looking forward to next year’s big TENTH Symposium! @doctor_oyster . #oystersouth #ossymposium2026

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