A.R.C. Hatchery

Aquacultural Research Corp., known as A.R.C., operates a shellfish hatchery and nurseries on Cape Cod. Based in Dennis, Massachusetts, the business supplies seed shellfish to growers and sells market-size shellfish through Chapin Sea Farms.

For a grower, access to seed is part of planning the season ahead. A change in ownership at a hatchery can therefore matter well beyond the business itself, reaching the independent farmers and customers who rely on it.

Mark and Jayne Conroy acquired a majority interest in A.R.C. in 2026. ThirdSide advised the seller, working alongside Paul Parker.

ThirdSide’s work included evaluating competing proposals and discussing transaction considerations with the advisory team. The engagement required attention to the structure of the alternatives as well as the owners’ decision about the business.

In October 2026 reporting by The Provincetown Independent, A.R.C. nursery manager Paul Wittenstein described the investment as providing capital to expand the wholesale business. He also reported the new owners’ intention to continue operating A.R.C. as a seed supplier.

A majority investment can raise different questions from a complete exit: who will make decisions, what an owner will retain and what capital is expected to accomplish. It helps to examine those questions alongside the proposed economics, with legal and tax advice appropriate to the structure.