January 23, 2025 — 2024 was supposed to be Mattapoisett oyster farmer Mike Ward’s biggest year yet. He planned to scale up production on his four-acre Nasketucket Bay farm, ahead of selling it and retiring in 2026.
But Ward’s farm, Mattapoisett Oysters, suffered 180-plus days of state-imposed emergency closures last year, after rains caused raw sewage to repeatedly spill from New Bedford’s combined sewer system into Buzzards Bay. Now, his plans to sell are on hold.
“I think it’s worth zero right now, except for my equipment,” Ward said.
Ward wasn’t the only local oyster farmer whose plans were disrupted by New Bedford’s combined sewer overflows last year.
West Island Oysters co-owner Dale Leavitt was looking to boost production on his 46-acre Nasketucket Bay farm. Now, his Fairhaven business is “running on fumes” after experiencing 180-plus days of emergency closures.
In Dartmouth, Scott Soares was looking to grow his half-acre Padanaram Oyster Farm in Apponagansett Bay. Roughly half of his farm income was wiped out by 212 days of emergency closures.
Since January 2024, emergency shellfish bed closures have presented an urgent threat to oyster aquaculture in Buzzards Bay.