Dukes of Topsail Oysters from Hampstead, NC

Harvest location: Topsail Sound, Hampstead, NC

How they’re grown: N. SEA. oysters are grown on a 300-foot suspended longline system using a blend of Australian gear and French techniques. They're regularly air-dried and tumbled to build strong shells, deep cups, and toothy texture.


Why they’re unique: The farm sits at a rare convergence point in Banks Channel, where Atlantic salinity pushes through New Topsail Inlet and meets the currents of the Intracoastal Waterway. That collision of direct ocean salt and intracoastal flow creates a high-salinity, nutrient-rich environment – exactly what produces a great oyster.

Topsail Island itself is a narrow barrier island separating the Intracoastal Waterway from the Atlantic. Its name dates to the Golden Age of Piracy, when merchant sailors watched the horizon for the top sails of ships hiding behind the marsh.

Story: Conor is a second-generation oyster farmer whose uncle, John Finger, founded California's Hog Island Oyster Co. At eight years old (right after catching his first wave) Conor tasted his first oyster. His uncle's words stayed with him: "No oysters, no waves." Raised on the Chesapeake Bay, he watched the waterway's health decline throughout his childhood, which solidified his commitment to restoration. By high school, he was working on his uncle's farm, learning firsthand the environmental power of oysters.

Alyssa and Conor have known each other since that same age, teammates on a swim team long before they became business partners. After reconnecting at UNCW, they launched N. SEA. Oyster Co. in 2017.

On rare occasions, they harvest Divine Pines – a legendary "green-gilled" oyster that only appears when a sensitive algae called Haslea blooms in the Sound.

Whether working the longlines or hosting a Shuck & Chill at their Oyster Barn, the work comes back to what Conor learned at eight years old: no oysters, no waves. They're here to make sure there are plenty of both.

Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.