News Room

An East Hampton High School senior reports to the town trustees that three oyster reefs in Accabonac Harbor are flourishing.

Oysters are remarkable. They provide many benefits to the ecosystem they live in. They are filter feeders—they clean the water as they eat. And they grow in reefs, which provide great habitat for many other species. But in many places, their population has plummeted. So we work to restore oyster reefs. They are also a popular seafood. At NOAA, we support research and policy development to grow sustainable aquaculture in the United States. And while they're growing, aquaculture-grown oysters deliver extra benefits.

A cage filled with empty-looking oyster shells sits in front of Kellie Fiala on the Canton Waterfront promenade. A crowd of eager high school students from the Baltimore Lab School gather around her as she lifts up a shell for all to see.

On Wednesday we showed no signs of slowing down! On another gorgeous day we celebrated out Air, Land & Sea Signature Program with a reception at the beautiful home of Jeff Ragovin of South Fork Sea Farmers! We partnered with South Fork Sea Farmers this year to raise awareness for their noble cause: to educate and raise awareness of the importance of sustainable marine aquaculture and to inspire constructive action programs. Their mission aligns with the purpose of our AL&S program, and we were honored to collaborate with them this year!

Newsday on volunteer oyster gardeners working to boost the shellfish supply in Oyster Bay.

John “Barley” Dunne, Director of The East Hampton Shellfish Hatchery and South Fork Sea Farmers shows how the new oyster seedlings that were grown at the Shellfish Hatchery, are prepared for growing in the harbor waters.

Oysters are more than a classic on menus in the D.C. area. They play a key role in filtering the Chesapeake Bay. Volunteers known as oyster gardeners help raise oysters for this purpose. News4 got an up-close look at oyster gardening from a woman who has worked as a volunteer for more than 20 years. She described the work as fulfilling.

As oyster reefs have declined, other marine species have suffered and coastal storm damage has increased. Innovative programs are starting to help.l Coastal ecosystems — including oyster reefs, sandy beaches, mangrove forests and seagrass beds — provide important habitat for marine life and food and recreation for people.

“Oysters do a fantastic job of filtering our water,” Bob Tymann of South Fork Sea Farmers explained to the Sag Harbor Village Board last week while displaying a slide showing algae, nitrogen, and other contaminants entering an oyster and coming out clean. The bivalves are like mini wastewater treatment plants, each adult filters 50 gallons a day.