          East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery


                     Barley Dunne and Frank Quevedo preparing to seed oysters
                                            (Photo by Jennifer Gaites)

       Annual Report of Operations

Mission Statement

Through a state of the art hatchery on Fort Pond Bay, nurseries on Three Mile Harbor, and field grow out systems in Napeague Harbor; the East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery produces large quantities of oyster, clam, and bay scallop seed to enhance valuable shellfish stocks in local waters. Shellfish are available for harvest by all town residents.

The hatchery operates under a twenty-five year agreement with New York State, which receives ten percent of yearly seed production in exchange for initial capital funding. This share is generally disseminated into state waters adjacent to East Hampton. In any given year, alternate arrangements may substitute for this formula.

Cooperative research and experimentation concerning shellfish culture, the subsequent success of seed in the wild and the status of the resource is undertaken and reported upon regularly, often funded and validated by scientific research grants. Educational opportunities afforded by the work include school group and open house tours, and educational displays at community functions.

An annual reporting includes production statistics and values, seed dissemination information, results of research initiatives, a summary of outreach efforts, the status of current and developing infrastructure, and a plan for the following year's operations.