Oyster Bay completes massive shellfish seeding project

Town of Oyster Bay officials on Tuesday, Sept. 24, oversaw the addition of 500,000 clam and oyster seedlings into the waters along the town’s north shore. This marks the final phase of the town’s 2024 initiative to plant roughly 6 million shellfish seedlings in an effort to enhance water quality.

The seedlings are grown at the town’s shellfish hatchery and transferred to floating upwelling systems, where they mature.

Upon maturing, millions of shellfish are seeded into the town’s bay management areas and spawner sanctuaries for reproduction and water quality restoration. Thanks to their natural filtration process, oysters are able to filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, while clams can filter roughly 24 gallons of water per day.

“Oyster Bay Harbor is one of the crown jewels of Oyster Bay, and we are proud to be doing more than ever before to improve its water quality,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino in a statement. “These efforts help preserve the natural beauty of our local waterways for generations to come.”

For more information about Oyster Bay’s shellfish management program, visit oysterbaytown.com/departments/environmental-resources/shellfish-management.