I am writing to correct the inaccuracies of Frances Leone’s letter to the editor in the Enterprise-Pilot issue dated Aug. 13. Ms. Leone is correct that it is important to respect all living creatures. We can agree on that as we have the same belief. However, her accusations that Frank M. Flower’s harvesting methods are killing horseshoe crabs and other marine life is simply not true. Let me set the record straight because the numerous falsehoods that Ms. Leone, a select group of Baymen and those that are their followers are spreading only makes for an air of panic and hysteria in the community which is not based on scientific facts.
We are shellfish farmers. At our hatchery we grow millions of oyster and clam seed that are planted on the bay bottom. We also provide the town with a million clam seed annually to plant on public grounds. The Baymen benefit from our work and it seems contradictory to bite the hand that feeds you. The lands we plant are leased from the TOB; who has a legal right to lease their lands for Aquaculture. The state does not lease lands, so yes there is no mechanical harvesting on NYS public lands. However, the DEC regulates our farming operation and is well aware of our harvesting methods. Again; we farm town lands which allow for and wants Aquaculture programs that will improve the environment of the waters.
We have been using mechanical harvesting methods since 1936 with our first dredges. The water quality reports from the Friends of the Bay speak for themselves as well as the landings reports from the DEC. Oyster Bay Harbor is the most productive waters in NYS. The act of mechanical harvesting cultivates the bottom. Planting oyster and clam seeds improves the water quality and takes out a tremendous amount of the harmful nitrogen. The Baymen benefit from our work and have successfully harvested the same or more clams than us annually. The notion that we are killing marine life is just not accurate. The mechanism on the harvesters actually has a built in device that causes any fish to swim away…if a fish did get brought up on the boat we have a dedicated deckhand on all the vessels to throw back any fish alive and well. We are a sustainable farm whose Aquaculture methods also benefit the community.
Joseph Zahtila,
Co-Owner Frank M. Flower and Sons
