Long Island Oyster Growers Face Sales Concerns After Bacteria Report

Oyster growers on Long Island are facing negative publicity after an April report about vibrio vulnificus bacteria in Suffolk County waters. The report found the bacteria in ponds and waterbodies on the South Fork, including Sagaponack Pond, Mecox Bay and Georgica Pond.

The bacteria was previously detected in the Long Island Sound and linked to three deaths in 2023. , said a similar warning in 2024 reduced local oyster sales by 34 percent over six months.

3 million in equipment damage from ice and freezing during the recent winter. The weather killed about 33 percent of the crop at nearby farms on average. Mastrangelo said the timing of the bacteria report could not be worse for growers trying to recover from those losses.

Bacteria Location and Risk Dr.

Christopher Gobler of Stony Brook University, who issued the report, said the oysters are grown in the cleanest waters in New York state. The bacteria was found far from the state-regulated oyster farms, and Suffolk County confirmed there are no active cases of the bacteria infecting people.

Gobler said people are 50 times more likely to drown than to contract the bacteria in the region. He advised those with open wounds or who are immunocompromised to avoid the water. Sixto Portilla of Maris Stella Oysters said the water is tested every week.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine stated that Long Island oysters are the best in the country. " — Dr. Christopher Gobler (nypost.