Pioneering A New Community With The South Fork Sea Farmers
Below the East End’s local waterways, rests a whole new home for oysters. We had the chance to visit our friend Jeff, President at South Fork Sea Farmers, who has helped revolutionize the way the community thinks about aquaculture, ocean conservation, and prioritizing Marine stewardship.
The South Fork is a picturesque region located at the eastern end of Long Island, New York. Renowned for it’s stunning natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant communities, the South Fork attracts visitors and residents alike with its charming villages, pristine beaches, and diverse cultural offerings.
Those pristine harbors are home to South Fork Sea Farmer’s not one, but five individual oyster farms meticulously thought out and placed in the local waters. Now full of vibrant marine ecosystems, the group’s oysters have played an important role in keeping their waterways clean with each oyster filtering upwards of 50 gallons of seawater a day.
We kicked off our afternoon trekking through the marshy harbor. As the tide crept in, our hunt began trying to locate the recently installed wild oyster reefs planted over the last couple of years to serve as the foundation of a healthy marine habitat.
After a chilly and rewarding wade, a glimpse of sun showed through the overcast just perfectly for Jeff to confirm that we had located the reef. We admired the oysters that have been growing from seed for almost two years now and were amazed to find the growth progress of the entire underwater habitat.
South Fork Sea Farmers is on a mission to educate and raise awareness of the importance of sustainable marine aquaculture and to inspire constructive action programs. Through broadening educational programs and encouraging other residents to be stewards of their marine environment, they are revolutionizing local oyster farming and the way we think about our harbors.
With a goal to promote more public oyster farming, the South Fork Sea Farmers helps facilitate education programs, handles fundraising, and provides scholarship programs for local youth.
We’d like to send a very special thank you to Jeff and the entire South Fork Sea Farmers community for their partnership over the years and their continued effort to Keep The SeaWell™. Be sure to check out South Fork Sea Farmers and their advocacy for marine conservation on Long Island’s East end. We’ll be back soon for another visit!
