Aquaculture: Protecting the Waters of the East End

Striped Bass . Tautog . Summer & Winter Flounder . Pollack . Haddock . Atlantic Cod . Monkfish . Weakfish . Bluefish . Scup . Black Bass . Porgy . Sea Bass . Mackerel . Dorado . Wahoo . Marlin . False Albacore . Yellowfin . Bluefin . BigEye Tuna . Mako & Thresher Shark . Lobster . Crabs . Oysters . Scallops . Mussels . Clams . Squid

Written in 2007, A Geography of Oysters by Rowan Jacobsen has won almost every food and cookbook award. His OysteRater Website and Oyster Guide Blog are the definitive oyster resource. A single sentence by Rowan defines my belief in what matters most when we farm our waters. His description of oyster farmers’ impact on our waters is the fact that they have no impact whatsoever.

Oyster farmers don’t put anything into the water except oysters.
And they don’t take anything out of the water except bigger oysters.

It would seem to me that respecting our local waters is the key element to successfully farming our oceans, bays, sounds, rivers, and estuaries. When we speak of rearing and cultivating we are using words that demonstrate our concern and show how much we care for the waters that surround the East End of Long Island.

Aquaculture is about allowing fish to grow in their natural environment protected from chemicals, pesticides, other pollutants, and overfishing.

Billy Joel and the Baymen

In October 1989, Billy Joel released the album Storm Front featuring the song The Downeaster Alexa. He told the tale of a captain lamenting the decimation of the fishing grounds and his inability to feed his family. Mr. Joel created awareness for the farmers of the sea, the baymen forced to fish their downeasters further and further offshore.

In 2015, Billy and his friend Itzhak Perlman, performed The Downeaster Alexa at Madison Square Garden.

In 1999, the NY Times spoke with Daniel Boulud of Restaurant Daniel, Eric Ripert of Le Bernadin and Rick Moonen of Oceana. These chefs’ credentials are as pristine as the fish they choose to serve in their NYC eateries.

Pen-raised fish will not be found in their kitchens but wild striped bass is regarded as one of the greatest fish in the Atlantic. Stripers should be carefully prepared and their population respected. No doubt Mr. Joel and his public outcry made a difference in fishing for and the serving of striped bass.

If you happen to be in Sag Harbor you may see the real Alexa docked in the village harbor. In the picture below the downeaster with white superstructure and orange details is the Alexa! We have been the recipient of Alexa’s water cannon at Montauk’s Blessing of the Fleet! BTW … Billy is still very actively fighting for the baymen.