Oyster Farmer

About the Role

The Oyster Farmer is tasked with the cultivation, care, harvesting, and grading of oysters while strictly adhering to aquaculture standards, food safety protocols, environmental guidelines, and company policies. Operating primarily in coastal and marine farm environments, this role demands attentive oversight of oyster health, water quality, equipment, and daily production activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out daily farming duties including planting, nurturing, maintaining, categorizing, and harvesting oysters.
• Set up and upkeep oyster beds, racks, cages, bags, trays, baskets, lines, and other aquaculture apparatus.
• Track oyster development, health indicators, mortality rates, and overall condition through the production stages.
• Regularly examine oysters for diseases, pest infestations, predators, physical damage, irregular growth, or other concerns.
• Clean and maintain all farming gear such as cages, trays, ropes, floats, and racks.
• Oversee environmental parameters such as water quality, tides, temperature, and salinity affecting oyster growth.
• Perform routine repairs and tweaks on farming infrastructure and associated equipment.
• Sort and grade oysters based on size, quality, maturity, and the company’s standards.
• Conduct harvesting operations safely and efficiently as per schedules and production targets.
• Manage washing, cleaning, packing, and transporting of oysters following food safety and quality guidelines.
• Operate boats, vessels, harvesting machinery, pumps, winches, and other approved equipment when trained.
• Handle loading and unloading of oyster containers, tools, supplies, and harvests safely.
• Keep precise records of oyster production activities including stocking, growth, mortality, harvesting, and inventory levels.
• Maintain sufficient stocks of oyster seeds, farming supplies, packaging, tools, and equipment.
• Identify and report equipment malfunctions, environmental hazards, unusual mortality, disease threats, and any other production challenges.
• Implement biosecurity measures to minimize disease and contamination risks.
• Ensure cleanliness and hygiene across work areas, equipment, storage spots, boats, and processing locations.
• Comply with aquaculture regulations, environmental protection standards, marine safety rules, occupational health & safety, and food safety standards.
• Use personal protective equipment properly and follow safety protocols during both land and marine work.
• Operate safely around water, boats, machinery, sharp equipment, ropes, and deal with changing weather and tides.
• Collaborate with farm management, aquaculture technicians, boat crews, processing teams, suppliers, and inspectors.
• Assist with oyster seed collection, nursery duties, transplantation, population thinning, and related cultivation efforts.
• Contribute to enhancements in oyster farming techniques, equipment efficiency, production processes, and sustainable environmental practices.
• Report any accidents, injuries, near misses, environmental incidents, or safety issues promptly.
• Carry out additional aquaculture, harvesting, and maintenance tasks as delegated by management.