About

Who We Are

​  Hank Bowen and Joe Peirson have been dedicated to clam and oyster aquaculture on Virginia’s Eastern Shore since 1984 - entering the industry when it was still in its early research and development stages. With decades of hands-on experience, they have built one of the largest and most respected aquaculture partnerships on the East Coast. Throughout their careers, Hank and Joe have advanced hatchery techniques, refined production methods, and elevated industry standards for handling clams and oysters.

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Our Commitment to Sustainability

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  Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Every clam begins its life in our own hatchery, where it is carefully spawned and nurtured before spending two to three years growing in clean ocean water—never supplemented and never sourced from outside producers. As a true “put-and-take” fishery, we harvest only what we plant, protecting wild populations while improving water quality and biodiversity through the natural filtration of our clams and oysters.

Producing more than eighty million seed clams each year, we supply consistently graded Littlenecks, Middlenecks, and Topnecks year-round. When you buy from American Shellfish Co., you’re buying directly from growers with over forty years of experience—lifelong watermen who take pride in their work and stand behind every clam we harvest