Manhasset Bay has some new residents, a million of them to be exact.
A million new oysters were placed into Manhasset Bay, a pilot program to help with shellfish restoration by establishing oyster beds in these waters.
North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Town Council Member Mariann Dalimonte and the rest of the Town Board, along with officials from the DEC and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County were on hand to welcome the new spat-on-shell oysters to their new home in Manhasset Bay on August 12.
Photo: Town of North Hempstead.
The idea for the project first began in January 2020, when Dalimonte started exploring the idea of reintroducing oysters into the bay as a way of helping the environment, according to a statement released by the town. At a town board meeting this April, she offered the resolution which was unanimously approved.
Placing oysters into the waterways around Long Island is a good way to help restore the shellfish population because they remove pollutants from the water. An individual oyster is able to filter 50 gallons of water every single day.
Dalimonte said that a significant priority for her as an elected official has been the protection and preservation of the local environment.
“It has been great to partner with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County for nearly three years on this project,” she said. “Having clean waterways is essential to help reestablish habitats for marine life, improving water quality and so much more.”
