(Huntington, N.Y) Councilwoman Susan A. Berland joined representatives from the Town of Huntington and the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) at Gold Star Battalion Beach, one of the new locations of nearly 2 million clam seeds and 500,000 oyster seeds from the Town’s shellfish hatchery tanks.
The program represents the Town’s effort to re-establish shellfish beds in Huntington waters for the benefit of commercial baymen, as well as to promote water quality improvements. The shellfish are grown in Floating Upweller Systems (FLUPSY), a series of floating holding tanks attached to wooden docks with seawater pumped through to ensure that seedlings get the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients in order to grow. These clams and oysters will be continually spread into the Huntington-Northport Bay complex where they will continue to grow after burrowing into the sand.
“The addition of more clam and oyster seeds into the Town of Huntington’s FLUPSY’s is just one route we are taking to ensure that the nitrate levels in the Huntington-Northport Bay complex continue to stay low and that the algae blooms cease to exist come spring and summer,” commented Councilwoman Berland. “When the oysters and clams reach full size, the baymen are then able to provide the shellfish to the local community. This program supports our local ecosystem and our local economy by keeping the waters clean and our baymen in business.”
