A coalition of Nassau and Suffolk County Town Supervisors is calling on state leaders to include funding for a Regional Shellfish Hatchery in the state budget. The initiative seeks to preserve Long Island’s maritime heritage and bolster shellfish stocks throughout New York, which will in turn improve local water quality and provide regional economic benefits.
“The Town of Oyster Bay is a leader in sustainability, as our existing shellfish hatchery has been instrumental in enhancing the local shellfish population and filtering pollutants from our coastal waters,” Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino said. “Through collaboration with neighboring towns and state support for the Regional Shellfish Hatchery, we can extend these benefits across Long Island and beyond, ensuring a cleaner, healthier marine ecosystem for all.”
The proposed hatchery, to be located in Islip’s Hecksher Park, will serve as a hub for shellfish recruitment and resource enhancement in the Great South Bay. It will serve multiple purposes to meet the needs of the growing aquaculture community, promote economic growth, and ensure the continuation of the tradition of farming in the Great South Bay. The Town of Islip’s current facility is rapidly aging and has been negatively impacted by climate change.
Town Supervisors from across Long Island have joined these advocacy efforts, including Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Riverhead Town Supervisor Timothy C. Hubbard, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico, Smithtown Town Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim, Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald X. Clavin, Jr., Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Z. Moore, Huntington Town Supervisor Edmund J. Smith, Southhold Town Supervisor Albert J. Krupski, Jr., Islip Town Supervisor Angie M. Carpenter, and North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer S. DeSena.