Method and apparatus for a mitt for attachment to a hand of a user to facilitate the shucking of an oyster. The mitt is made of strong flexible material and includes a flat palm pad portion having a plurality of finger loops attached thereto so that the fingers of the hand of a user can be placed through the loops so that the palm pad portion can be held securely to the hand of the user. The palm pad includes a rear portion disposed near a wrist of a user having an adjustable strap attached thereto which encircles the wrist of the user for securing the mitt to the hand of the user and includes hook and loop material. A reinforcing planar member is attached to an underside of the palm pad portion for reinforcing the palm pad portion and for contacting and gripping the shell of an oyster.

The invention relates to a container assembly comprising a container for depuration of mollusks and a drain canal unit. The assembly provides a closed circulation of water via a circulation route that has an entry portion between the floor of the container and the drain canal unit, a circulation channel between the corner of the container and a drain canal unit, and a drain canal within the drain canal unit. Also provided is a drain canal unit for use in stackable containers that provides circulation of water within a container assembly.

An oyster shucker apparatus comprises a base element comprising a first indentation, a cover element connected at an angle to an end of the base element, either removably connected thereto or hinged thereto, the cover element having a second indentation, the first and second indentations sized and configured to hold an oyster therein. A user holds an oyster therein and, with a knife, is able to easily open the oyster with minimal risk of injury.

A method is provided for packaging frozen oysters on a half shell in a container. Each frozen oyster on the half shell comprises oyster meat on a round shell. The method includes the step of positioning the frozen oysters within the container in an inverted orientation such that oyster meat of the frozen oysters faces a bottom of the container and the round shell of the frozen oysters faces an opening in a top of the container.

An oyster clamp comprising a base element having an indentation for receiving an oyster to be opened. A lip coupled to the base element hangs over and impinges upon an edge of a work surface on which the oyster clamp is placed, and a slide inhibitor is arranged to prevent the base element from sliding on the work surface. A backstop is affixed to the base element to prevent the oyster from exiting the back of the oyster clamp when in use. An oyster clamping element is operatively coupled to a handle and to the base element, such that operating the handle causes the clamping element to push the oyster down against the base element.

A tidal rotating oyster shaper and cleaner apparatus has an outer frame, a containment cage supported by the outer frame, and a plurality of containers designed to hold oysters, the containers being located and maintained within the containment cage. A circular end member having outwardly extending teeth which circumscribes the end member, is mounted on each lateral end of the containment cage. At least one passive energy capturing pawl is configured to contact and engage the teeth, such that upon the introduction of a source of passive energy, the pawl is caused to rotate. This results in the rotation of the end members, the containment cage, and the containers, which thereby rotates the oysters within the containers. Continual rotation of the oysters serves to shape and clean the oysters.

Mollusc processing apparatus and related methods are disclosed. The molluscs have a first shell, a second shell and an adductor muscle attached to the shells. Multiple holders hold a respective mollusc by the first shell of the mollusc. A conveyor is coupled to the holders to move the molluscs between processing stations. One processing station is a shell cut station to cut an opening into the shells of each respective mollusc. Another processing station is a muscle cut station to cut the adductor muscle from the second shell through the opening in the shells of each mollusc. A further processing station is a shell detach station to detach the second shell from the first shell of each respective mollusc.

An apparatus for cleaning crustacea or game has a container with an interior volume defined by a wall, a fluid inlet extending into the interior volume of the container, and a plurality of nozzles connected to the fluid inlet. The plurality of nozzles are directed in different directions. The plurality of nozzles are positioned adjacent to the wall of the container so as to direct the fluid from the fluid inlet toward another portion of the wall of the container. The fluid inlet is adapted to pass a fluid under pressure into the interior volume of the container. The plurality of nozzles are arranged one above another.

A utensil to open a shell of a shellfish, including a first end comprising a shell breaking tool, the shell breaking tool including a first member extending longitudinally away from the handle such that a portion of an end of the first member is inclined into a wedge, a second member disposed adjacent to the first member and extending longitudinally away from the handle, such that a gap is defined between at least a portion of the first member and the second member, and such that the first member is longer than the second member, a second end opposite the first end, and a handle to connect the first end to the second end.

A system for processing shellfish includes an input hopper that receives a batch of shellfish to be processed. A conveyer is positioned to receive shellfish from the input hopper and transports the shellfish through the system. The conveyor defines a plurality of holes that allow cleaning substances to pass through the conveyor. A washing system comprising a least one nozzle that dispenses cleaning substances to the shellfish being transported by the conveyor. An operator station includes at least one container for depositing market-ready shellfish passing along the conveyor. At least one optical sensor is positioned to detect the market-ready shellfish being placed into the at least one container. A counter is electrically connected to the optical sensor and records a number of shellfish being placed in the at least one container. An output hopper is positioned proximate to an end of the conveyor to catch rejected shellfish.