Episode 12: Revolutionizing Oyster Farming to Feed The World with Andy DePaola

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In this episode of OYSTER-ology, Kevin interviews Andy DePaola, an innovative oysterman, scientist, consultant, and inventor located on Mobile Bay, Alabama. Andy explains how his unique Shellevator technology revolutionizes oyster farming by enabling multi-layered, three-dimensional oyster cultivation, significantly increasing yield per acre. Andy describes his four farming locations and the challenges of oyster farming in the dynamic salinity conditions of Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound.  He then describes the Shellevator, how it works and how it outperforms traditional floating gear in terms of efficiency, labor savings, and resilience to storm damage. Andy also explains his ideas to mass-producing Shellevators for large-scale oyster growing to make it more profitable, to sequester carbon and to feed the planet. But he doesn’t stop there; he also describes a parallel invention, Reefers, an oyster-infused, pliable and rigid material designed to quickly protect and restore coastal shoreline, reduce wave energy.  and enhancing rapid carbon sequestration and large-scale restoration. With a background with the FDA and years of hands-on experience, Andy aims to transform oyster farming, making it more efficient, scalable, and impactful on global food security and environmental health. This episode unwinds to reveal how BIG Andy’s thinking is to improve the planet and highlights some of his innovative contributions to oyster farming and their potential global impact.

00:00 Introduction to Oyster Farming Innovations

00:29 Meet Andy: The Multifaceted Oysterman

00:44 Geographical Challenges and Oyster Farming

02:04 The Impact of Salinity and Environmental Factors

04:01 Scaling Up: Multiple Farm Locations

06:19 The Shellevator: Revolutionizing Oyster Farming

22:39 The Future of Oyster Farming and Carbon Sequestration

42:25 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Andy DePaola's Bio:
Andy DePaola grew up on the North Carolina coast pier fishing with his dad, Depe; and honored by naming farm Depe Oysters. Andy studied food science, microbiology and marine biology earning BS and MS degrees at North Carolina State University and a Ph.D at the University of Florida. He spent his entire 37-year career in public service working at FDA in Dauphin Island, Alabama as a research microbiologist. He worked extensively with microbial oyster safety and was Agency’s subject matter expert on vibrios, Lead Seafood Microbiologists and National Vibrio Policy Coordinator from 2013 until he retired in 2015. Andy established Depe Oyster Farm, Angelo DePaola Consulting and filed the Shellevator invention patent in 2016 along with breaking his neck in a body surfing accident. Experimentation remains his passion and Shellevators have provided endless opportunities to test new ideas and innovate.

Show Links:

The Shellevator
(https://www.shellevator.com/)

Depe’s Oyster, Andy DiPaola’s oyster farm
(https://www.oystersalabama.com/depe-s-oysters)

Article with images about the Shellevator 
(https://www.scenic98coastal.com/posts/andy-depaola-dep

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