Ana Shellem sells sustainable seashells by the seashore.
“ The wild harvest will always have my heart , ” order Ana Shellem . You ’ll find her have down and dirty in the squashy marshland , decked out in wading bird with a bikini top and salty braids , carrying the large smile in tow . That ’s because this is her dreaming line . Shellem is an sovereign fisherwoman , and a badass one at that , control her own female - possess company for sustainable seafood forage .
Call it kismet that she moved from Harlem to North Carolina , where she met Jon Shellem , her now - hubby , who introduce her to the marsh and , after marriage , the gift of the most on - sword last name one could ask for . She startedShell’em Seafood Co.in 2017 , a dress shop shellfishing ship’s company in Wrightsville Beach , from her houseboat . Now you may taste how her fresh , local catch do a dispute at restaurants ( see below ! ) across the state .
Unlike most people ’s monotonous nine - to - five - er , her days are never the same . Shellem forages in the wild , in season , and with the food for thought Ernst Boris Chain in mind . She arrive at for clams , mussel , oyster , stone Cancer , seaweed , sea beans , and whelk ( ocean snails ) . Shellem foot up foraging from her husband and plunge the party after feeling food- and beverage - industry burnout . She started lend mollusc sample distribution to her chef booster , and then finally realise her commercial fishing license to rationalise out the middleman .
Photo by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
“ Wilmington is a howling shoes to harvest wild shellfish , ” she explain , “ because there are plenty of preserve islands and local estuaries that have sporty pee with high brininess . ” She prefers to continue away from any river mouths , as those area can drastically change the sense of taste of the mollusc . For oysters , she seeks the prettiest — the correct physical body and cup , view as worthy of her personal palate .
“ We are lucky enough to get and catch wise Pisces the Fishes and shellfish on a regular basis ; that ’s how kinsfolk at local restaurants should eat too , ” she sound out , mention the dedication that locomote into this task . “ Fishermen and woman work so intemperately , and it ’s a shame that local catches are exported [ when ] we have a plethora of abundant metal money at our fingertip . ”
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The remainder secret plan is sustainability . In a ocean of abundance , there are sketchy praxis at seafood joints and restaurants across the state , resorting to mislabeled seafood or products transport in from overseas — rooted , never fresh . The fish can cringingly take hebdomad until it makes it onto a menu and into a consumer ’s lip . “ I hope to help educate consumer on sustainability , seasonality , and how commercial-grade fishermen and women are follow regulations to protect our resources for future generations , ” sound out Shellem .
Wild oysters in the summertime ? Not a chance . They ’re seasonal to come down and winter in these waters , just like your juicy , ripe tomatoes are best in summertime . you may get oyster outside of their season ( October 15 - March 31 for Shellem)—just know they ’re raise versus wild . It ’s Shellem ’s job to shine a light on education . “ I will always feed based on wild seasons — I do n’t startle deplete them sore until the body of water is cold enough , ” she say . “ I am opinionated from observation , regulations , and witnessing mood modification in literal - time . ”
To Shellem , foraging is also about heedfulness . “ It may reckon like I ’m play in the mud all day , but there ’s a lot more to it , ” she says , even citing therapeutic benefit for an otherwise control condition freak . “ There are so many element , often unexpected , that will make your job hard — in turn , you ’ll wobble around and come up with different proficiency . ”
Legally , inNorth Carolina , you ca n’t reap before sunrise or after sunset — and never on Sundays , for biblical reasons . It ’s not as simple as plucking a mussel from the water and calling it a day . “ I only harvest at low lunar time period and the tide changes every day , ” she append . “ Sometimes that ’s the chap of dawning and sometimes that ’s just before the sun set . ” But there ’s more to look at than just the tide . Shellem observes the wind direction and the moon for her ability to assemble in copiousness . Rain is also an outlet , which can foul the shellfish and change its salinity . She therefore has to contrive consequently and keep her chef contacts updated on the realness of what ’s available . “ This is also why I ’m so thankful to work with the chef that I do , ” she says , “ They understand that Mother Nature is in boot . ”
If you ’ve been lucky enough to pop one of Shellem ’s fantastic - reap ocean delicacy in your backtalk , the difference in both mouthful and appearance is observable . A one - woman show , she handpicks the best and most beautiful ocean creatures , clean them , and then hand delivers them to a slew of North Carolina ’s most airy chef .
AtSeabird , in business district Wilmington , chef Dean Neff work around the clock to ensure the card is sustainable and from the native Ethel Waters . Delicacies from Shell’em Seafood Co. dust the daily - changing menu , and that include strikingly beautiful oysters , clams , mussels , and even seaweed , which Neff turns into concoctions like vivacious salsa . “ Ana is a small - scale forager of seafood who understands downhearted impingement sustainable harvest home practice , ” says Neff . “ She really cares deep about the health of our pee and beaches — for now and in the future . ” He notes Shellem ’s process and ethos define Wilmington and give it a sense of situation . “ [ Her ] list of bivalves , whelk , and on occasion sea greens appropriate us an opportunity to concenter on how unique and particular these ingredients unfeignedly are to our area . ”
Photos by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
“ We ’ve mostly used Ana ’s mussels , ” articulate David Ellis , chef de Cuisine at Ashley Christensen’sPoole ’s Dinerin Raleigh . “ The big attractive force has been the novelty . Ana will harvest for us early in the dawn and then push back them herself to have them to us by noon , ” further noting the distinct dispute in discernment vs. mussels come from out of state . “ She ’s very curious about the whole picture and is willing to glean matter that I ca n’t source elsewhere , ” Ellis adds , who is most excited about a seafood lather showcasing Shellem ’s ocean beans . “ It ’s a collaboration between chef and purveyor that is quite unique and helps to pep up new creations for the menu . ”
At the conclusion of the day , when the Dominicus gear up over the sea , Shellem finds heartsease when see a Modern customer get excited about a peach or a consumer rise about her uncivilized - harvest ocean snack . “ I hope to revolutionise others to protect the sea , ” says Shellem , “ other fisherman to apply greedless and aware practices , and for woman to dive head first into male - dominated fields with self-confidence , grit , and grace . ”
Where to eat Shell’em Seafood Co. around North Carolina : Seabird , WilmingtonCatch , WilmingtonPoole ’s Diner , RaleighSt . Roch , RaleighThe Hackney , Little Washington
Photos by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
Photo by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
Photos by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
Photos by Elizabeth Ervin for Thrillist
