Commercial Oyster Aquaculture Program

Peconic Baykeeper’s Commercial Oyster Aquaculture Program was first launched in 2018 in Great Peconic Bay as a way to provide a market-based solution to regional water quality issues. Utilizing over 200 acres of “Oyster Grant” deeded to Peconic Baykeeper, the program licenses 10, 5-acre plots to oyster farmers looking to engage in regenerative oyster aquaculture practices. Each applicant is vetted by the organization to ensure that they have sufficient competency to undertake the challenges of the industry and will abide by best management practices. In addition, all applicants must obtain all regulatory permits to engage in oyster aquaculture. Current program partners include Sebonac Inlet Oyster Farm and Happy Oyster Company, both growing hundreds of thousands of oysters that help filter our waters (an adult oyster filters up to 50 gallons of water per day) while supporting our local economy.

Benefits of oyster aquaculture include:

Providing habitat for juvenile finfish and marine invertebrates
Boosting our local economy while producing sustainable local seafood
Improved water clarity from the filtering of seawater by oysters
Enhancing local oyster populations/recruitment from oyster spawning
Maintaining historical connections to working our local waters

Aspiring oyster farmers looking to be involved this program should contact us at [email protected]

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