NORWICH, Conn. — It’s been a tough year for Connecticut business thanks to COVID – but for one industry rich on the shoreline – tougher – thanks to no support from the government – that changed today- keeping shellfish farmers working Supers;
This week’s oyster harvesting at Mystic oysters looks good – after a period where the forecast wasn’t looking pearly. But when you think of a farm, you don’t normally think of an oyster farm, and that was a problem for oyster farmers all across the state.
Now they’ve been recognized as aquaculture farmers and can collect farm subsidies – at Tuesday’s announcement - USDA grants worth $30,000 to them and 40 other oyster farming, with DEEP and NOAA assisting as well.
Between 30,000 and 40,000 a week are harvested, and served in restaurants, and in cruise ships all over. No cruises? No restaurants
Jim Marcow, Mystic Oysters, said, “Once that stopped, it was a devastating blow.”
Even worse – help from the government wasn’t coming in – like it was for other industries
Gov. Ned Lamont said, “You know oysters have been a staple for us, going back about 1000 years.”
Marcow said, “The problem is we weren’t recognized as a farm – they looked at aquaculture between farming and fishing.”
Mark Harrell, Mystic Oysters, said, “This is more than a job – this is a family – absolutely – it’s a family – we don’t work these long hours and put ourselves thru this if we weren’t close to each other.”
