The Town of Oyster Bay made waves this year with a six-month shellfish harvesting moratorium on 1,850 acres of underwater land in the town harbor. The town held a public hearing on the matter in August and implemented the ban on Oct. 1.
“This temporary moratorium will help us strengthen the health of the harbor while not impacting any current shellfish harvesting by local baymen on the more than 4,000 acres they currently fish,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino.
The land was previously leased to the family-run shellfish harvesting company Frank M. Flowers & Sons, which attempted to renew its lease with the town. The company had exclusive rights to the land for 30 years, which expired on Sept. 30…