OUR STORY
Baywater Seafood started in 2020 with founders Lee Beauchamp and Matthew Holloway. They set out to provide locally and naturally raised seafood in and around the Delmarva Peninsula. This region is host to numerous coastal bays, one of which is the Chincoteague Bay, in which Baywater operates. The coastal bays are world renowned for their briny, sweet-finish oysters, but many don’t know the Chincoteague Bay as a major supplier of Bay Scallops in the 1800s and 1900s until a combination of hurricanes and disease in the 1930s devastated bay scallop habitat, reshaping the region.
In 2024, Baywater Seafood staff continues to innovate grow-out techniques, and educate locals and tourists alike to the history and opportunity surrounding this special species of bivalve. Baywater works closely with researchers to track wild population survival and aquaculture marketability. They are proud to help reintroduce bay scallops as a native east coast animal, and pave the way to utilizing their unique patterns and flavors in 21st century culinary masterpieces.
HOW WE GROW
01
FLOATING
NURSERIES
In spring-time, our bay scallop seed, or spat, starts in floating nurseries that allow us to monitor the growth and quality on a daily basis. We acquire seed as small as a pepper flake. Imagine, hold thousands of juvenile bay scallops in the palm of your hand!
02
GROW-OUT SITE TRANSFER
By early summer, the scallops are about 1cm wide. They are transferred to our grow-out site in the Chincoteague Bay, and set in lantern nets; 7-tiered mesh nets that accordion into the water column. These nets give them room to grow and swim as they would in the wild without threat of predation.
03
GROWTH &
HARVEST
The scallops spend 4-6 months in the lantern nets before they are harvested and brought to our home-base at Baywater Landing Marina for processing. Each one is hand-cleaned, tumbled, and bagged on-site. From there, they are distributed live, in the shell, to restaurants and consumer markets!
OUR TEAM
LEE
BEAUCHAMP
Lee Beauchamp is a 20 year US Army Veteran with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from University of Delaware, and Master’s degree in Business Administration at Wilmington University. He has extensive experience in public water system management that translates well with making sure Baywater's Bay Scallops have the best conditions to grow and thrive.
Lee has always enjoyed being on the water, and he decided it was time to make his love for the water a business that would bring the bounty of the sea to others. And with his tenacity, Baywater Seafood continues to supply Delmarva and beyond with its one-of-a-kind Bay Scallops!
MATTHEW
HOLLOWAY
Matthew Holloway has a Bachelor’s degree in Turf Grass Management at Virginia Tech. and has worked in agriculture and food production for 20 years. He actively manages and operates 4,000 acres of agriculture production land and 10 acres of hydroponic greens and vegetables. His understanding of agricultural production and operation gives him the insight needed to create innovative approaches to processing and packaging Bay Scallops.
Combined this with is life-long love of hunting, fishing, and spending time with family on the Chincoteague Bay, Matt is an asset to Baywater Seafood.
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bryan
dickey
Bryan’s entry into the seafood industry was fueled by his love of the water. After nearly 20 years in the agriculture business, he decided to make the ocean his office. Quality, hard work, and fun on the job keeps him getting to work before the sun every day.
He managed his own company for 13 years and has worked in all aspects of business. Bryan is a walking encyclopedia of tides and marshes. Bryan’s interest in shellfish comes as a direct result of growing up on the Eastern Shore. Raised most of his childhood sailing up and down the coast, Bryan is heavily influenced by the Maryland seafood culture and developed an early appreciation for the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding waterways.
Claire
rush blades
Claire is a Maryland native through and through. Born in Baltimore, she came to the Eastern Shore in 2017 and earned her Bachelor's in Environmental Studies and Biology at Salisbury University. She has a background in Environmental Education and shares her knowledge of Delmarva's unique ecosystem with Baywater Landing visitors from around the globe. As a former Naturalist for the Maryland Park Service and certified Adventure Facilitator, she is well versed in outdoor recreation and making sustainable choices for Baywater.
As a photographer, Claire applies her skills in content creation and design to manage Baywater Landing, Seafood, and Adventure social medias.