Oyster picking in the Netherlands

Today there are plenty of oysters - especially in Zeeland - but in the 1960s they were almost extinct. This was partly due to an oyster disease that was prevalent at the time. Growers still wanted to keep growing oysters and imported them from Portugal and Japan. The species from there have almost no natural enemies here. That is why the oyster population in Zeeland in particular has expanded considerably and nowadays you can go and collect oysters on your own.

Before I talk about the best places to collect oysters, it is good to talk about the rules of the game. Because even though you are allowed to go out on your own, there are rules to keep in mind.

For instance, you are allowed to bring a maximum of 10 kilos of oysters per person. Making the oysters into a tasty meal at home that evening is fine, but selling them on to a restaurant is not. So using your catch for commercial purposes is prohibited. Finally, it is of course important to respect nature. Make sure you do not harm nature with your picking.

In principle, you can set off on your own, but it is often very nice and instructive to join a guided tour. Especially if this is your first time looking for oysters. I recommend these oyster-rabbit tours.

During the Oyster Tour, you head out into the Zeeland countryside for a few hours in search of oysters. During the day, you will be told all about the oysters, how to clean them and the most important characteristics to look out for. All in all, an interesting tour if you want to experience oyster picking for once. Food and drinks are included, by the way. Of course, all that talk about oysters will make you hungry.

Set off with Gerrit the Oyster Man and learn all about the sea and its inhabitants. Gerrit is a Vlielander, beachcomber and fisherman and he can tell you everything about the Wadden Sea. He knows what lives there and what you can eat. During the tour, you get to work yourself and pick your own oysters. You will be guided on how to clean and open them so that you will be able to pick and prepare your own oysters in the future. This tour is a fun combination of mudflat hiking and oyster picking on beautiful Vlieland.

The Oosterschelde Tour takes place - as the name suggests - at the Oosterschelde. This is a National Park and also one of the cleanest waters in Europe. Precisely because of this, it is the perfect place for oyster harvesting. During the Oyster Scheldt Experience, you will be introduced to the process of harvesting, selecting and opening the oysters. The tour ends with a cosy tasting (with drinks) and a warm campfire in which the oysters can be steamed in their own liquid. Enjoy the raw nature of Zeeland!

Restaurant 't Ailand in the Frisian village of Lauwersoog is much more than just a restaurant. It also has a fish workshop and organises various trips to the Wadden Sea. During these tours, the focus is on finding edible shellfish, such as mussels and oysters.

Various cooking workshops are also organised at 't Ailand, including one specifically aimed at preparing oysters. So you can get straight to work in the kitchen with your catch.

Do you already feel comfortable picking oysters? Then, of course, you can also go out yourself. There are no less than 14 places in the Netherlands where you can go, so you have plenty of choice. Below is a small selection of these places.

Don't forget to bring gloves and a flathead screwdriver. After all, picking oysters with bare hands is no fun. Bring a knife if you want to eat the oysters right away. Boots are no luxury either, as you will have to step into the water more than once to reach the oysters. And last but not least: pay attention to the tides! At high tide, you are unlikely to find any oysters.

Yerseke in Zeeland is located on the Oosterschelde estuary and has long played a central role in processing the oysters from this area. Around the entire Oosterschelde, you will find all kinds of mussels, oysters and crumpets at the foot of the dike. So you don't have to look long here to pick some good oysters. Make sure you are there two hours before or two hours after low tide, only then will the shellfish stick out above the water.

A little further on in Zeeland, you have Sas van Goes, a place that once again lies on the Oosterschelde estuary. Because the water here is so clear, Sas van Goes is among the ten most beautiful diving spots in the world! All kinds of rare fish species can be found here, such as squid and nudibranches. A special place, you could say! This is also a great place to take your bucket: the chances of finding oysters are good.

You can pick oysters not only in Zeeland, but also on the Wadden island of Texel there are several places where you can do this very well. Near De Cocksdorp, in the north of the island, you have a good chance of picking some. Other places on Texel where you can have a look are the Waddendijk or at the Mokbaai in the south. If you come in season, this place is full of oysters. Pluck them!