A lot of the credit for this success should go to a Connecticut Department of Agriculture program that is giving the state's oyster industry a fresh start. In the summer, oyster larvae naturally settle on the cultch and are harvested by private, licensed individuals in the fall and spring. The seed is sold to harvesters for growth on leased beds. It takes three to four years for an oyster to get planted and grow to market size. Polluted beds are a problem for most shellfish producing states.
Industrial areas are generally the worst, where harvesting is banned.
If the water is not too far gone, however, these same areas can be used as seed beds. While these waters may not be safe for harvesting, it's good water for raising oysters. The oyster will purify itself once it is planted in the leased bed. And as time goes on, you see improvements in waste water treatments and cleaning up of shoreline areas and many areas get reopened. In addition to the positive environmental benefits of this program, the economic benefits are also substantial.