Bayport-Blue Point students are participating in a program sponsored by the Town of Brookhaven at in Mt. Sinai aimed at educating students about aquaculture techniques and how to raise seed clams for planting at public restoration sites.
As part of the new Shellfish Aquaculture Program, the Town provides materials to Western Suffolk BOCES to construct new shellfish rafts, mooring supplies to anchor the rafts and shellfish to stock the rafts.
On May 31 Councilwoman Jane Bonner joined Western Suffolk BOCES students from Bayport-Blue Point High School, Assistant Waterways Management Supervisor and Project Manager Tom Carrano, BOCES Coordinator Dan Stenzler and Bayport-Blue Point High School Marine Biology teacher Donna Edgar to take part in the BOCES Aquaculture Program as students placed their clam-rafts into the water.
“I am proud to see these students out here lending a helping hand to preserve our region’s environment,” Councilwoman Bonner said, “It is a very worthy investment that the Town of Brookhaven has made to help promote the survival of Long Island’s shellfish population, which helps maintain the area’s ecological system and stimulate the North Shore economy since many of these clams may one day be harvested and brought to market by our local bay men.”
The Town of Brookhaven’s Division of Environmental Protection will also grow out one million hard clam seed, one million juvenile oysters and one million soft shell clams at the Mariculture Facility at Cedar Beach. The juvenile shellfish will be released into Brookhaven waters in the fall to repopulate the species and aid in the improvement of water quality.
