Along Africa’s coastlines, a quiet transformation is taking place as shellfish farmers turn cold, nutrient-rich waters into thriving hubs of premium seafood production.
From abalone nurseries to deep-water mussel lines, these companies are proving that Africa’s marine environments can support world-class shellfish at scale. Their work is reshaping coastal economies, opening new export pathways, and elevating the continent’s presence in the global seafood market.
Below are the Top 5 Shellfish Farming Companies in Africa, based on confirmed operations, production activity, and publicly available industry evidence as of 2025.
— Viking Aquaculture (South Africa / Namibia): A major player in African shellfish farming with operations spanning abalone, mussels, and oysters across Buffeljags, Diamond Coast, Saldanha Bay, and Walvis Bay.
— Aqunion (South Africa): One of the continent’s leading abalone producers, operating integrated hatchery, grow-out, processing, and export facilities with verifiable large-scale output.
— Blue Ocean Mussels (South Africa): A long-established mussel farming operation in Saldanha Bay, producing high-quality Mediterranean mussels supported by nutrient-rich cold-water systems.
— West Coast Oyster Growers (South Africa): Operates commercial oyster and mussel farms in Saldanha Bay with secured water-lease rights and documented production activity.
— Blue Sapphire Pearls (South Africa): Farms premium oysters and cultivates pearls in Saldanha Bay, with confirmed infrastructure and expansion capacity supported by long-term aquaculture leases.
More producers are entering Africa’s shellfish ecosystem, but these five stand out for their verified operations, coastal farming capacity, and clear contribution to the continent’s growing aquaculture landscape.
Image Credit: Farmer’s Weekly
