When André Comeau and Chris Roberts left their homes in Atlantic Canada for the warmer climate of British Columbia 15 years ago, they knew they wanted to be involved in a sustainable business. So why not oysters, they figured. Putting oysters in trays and stringing them from rafts, where they can fatten on algae for two or three years, seemed to be the way to go. Low impact. Laid back. And what better place to do it than in the pristine, sheltered waters of Desolation Sound, where the Coast Mountains plunge thousands of meters down to the sea?

To learn the ropes, the two transplants hired on with some other oyster farms. Before long they had enough money to start buying into a farm, which they eventually acquired outright. Running their own operation meant the two committed environmentalists would answer only to themselves when it came down to farming oysters as sustainably as possible. And their goal was to farm shellfish they same way they lived: low carbon. The lower the better.

Out went the gas-powered winches, which were used to haul up the trays, and in came solar-powered winches. The pumped water they were using for their seed oyster production? Replaced by an energy-free gravity system. And then there were the Styrofoam floats used to keep the oyster rafts afloat. They weren't recyclable and the little pieces that kept breaking off looked like food to birds and fish. It cost more, but they were replaced by reusable, recyclable floats.

Fortunately, the two eco-conscious oyster farmers lived right next to their farm so they didn't have to burn up much fuel getting back and forth to work. Still, they tossed their two-stroke motor and replaced it with a four-stroke engine that burned 90 percent cleaner and used half the fuel. They figure they use as much fuel in a year as the average farm uses in a month.

Okeover Pacific oysters are raised in trays and then put out on the beach to let their shell harden. The farm offers a variety of sizes, from extra small (2-3 inches) to jumbo (7+ inches). In addition to oysters, Comeau and Roberts have started buying manila clam seed and growing them out. Naturally, they are dug by hand.

Click here to view Okeover's products and remember to tell them you found them using FishChoice.com when you contact them.