oysters

Texas closed most public oyster reefs for harvesting, dealing a blow to the fishing industry. "It's taken a big toll on me," says Johny Jurisich, whose family has worked in the business for decades.

As sales to restaurant clients dried up, oyster farmer Peter Stein had to adapt or perish. Now, he's delivering oysters directly to individual customers, doing about 20% of his usual business.

The "off-bottom" production method, in which oysters are grown in hanging baskets tumbled by waves, is starting to flourish on the Gulf coast — and demand for these boutique bivalves is growing.