As Lobsters Dwindle In Long Island Sound, Oysters Thrive

To see some of Connecticut’s most industrious food producers, you will need to move beyond its many orchards and cornfields and head past the shore. Beneath the briny waters along the rocky coast and sandy shoals of Long Island Sound, you will find a thriving oyster industry.

Whether roasted over a fire, served raw on the half shell or rendered as Rockefellers, oysters have been a part of the region’s cuisine for generations. But while other locally sourced staples of the sea — like cod, salmon, shad and lobsters — have dwindled, the state’s oyster industry still thrives. Tight regulations, over matters like water quality, harvest size and refrigeration, have helped sustain the industry, as has the use of better farming techniques.

Oysters begin life as larvae, developing a shell as they swim and feed. Eventually, the tiny mollusks sink, pulled down by the weight of their growing shells, and stick to rocks and shells along the sea bottom.

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