Fish Creek Oysters
Jesse and Allison came to oyster farming from opposite ends: she moved from Oregon to work for island fishmonger Ingrid Bengis-Palei, he spent twenty years hauling lobster offshore before the pull of farming something instead of catching it became too strong. Fritz the dog comes to the farm regularly to stare at seaweed and birds.
Photos via Google Maps · Fish Creek Oysters
Jesse's path to oyster farming went through two decades of commercial fishing — offshore work that built the water skills and the understanding of Maine fisheries that a farm operation requires. When the shift happened, it was deliberate: growing and tending versus catching and extracting, while still using what he knew.
Allison arrived on Deer Isle in 2013 to work for Ingrid Bengis-Palei, the respected island fishmonger whose operation connects local fisheries to high-end buyers across the country. Learning the fisheries landscape from that perspective — visiting farms, understanding aquaculture, seeing how the pieces fit — made starting her own operation a natural next step. She and Jesse found each other and the farm grew from there.
Fish Creek Oysters operates on Deer Isle's waters, growing oysters in the cold, clean environment that the island's coastline provides. The merroir of Deer Isle — cold tidal flushes, rocky shores, clean water — produces oysters with the briny, firm character that the region is known for.
Fritz, for the record, has grown to love oysters.
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Thu–Fri 9am–5pm for pick-up; seasonal; contact ahead
What Visitors Say
"I had the pleasure of meeting allison and jesse at the local music hall, and enjoying a couple dozen oysters from them the next day. ordered the oysters online, picked them up at Allison & Jesse's porch, and shucked them at our camp in oceanville. a wonderful new small business on the island, delicious oysters, and lovely people!"
Local Tips
- Contact through the website or social media for availability — small-scale farms often sell direct or to a limited list of buyers.
- Deer Isle oysters benefit from the same cold, nutrient-rich water that makes the lobster here good. Same waters, different species.
Connected To
- Deer Isle Oyster Company — Abby Barrows' operation in Long Cove; another island oyster farm with a strong sustainability focus
- Aragosta at Goose Cove — Chef Finigan works closely with island farmers and aquaculture producers
- Stonington Lobster Co-op — Jesse's fishing background connects to this community