April 23, 2020 — On Katama Bay, oyster farmers are still working, tending their mesh cages. But due to dramatically depressed demand, most oysters maturing this spring will not be harvested.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted every corner of the agricultural and seafood industries. But the oyster farm industry occupies its own unique corner in the emergency. Without a viable market, oysters that were seeded last year and just now reaching maturity will soon grow past their prime size for retail sale. With restaurants closed, weddings canceled and summer gatherings on hold, the oysters will have to be sold to a cannery for a fraction of the price — or discarded back into the sea.
Further complicating the process, mature oysters need to be sold to clear space for fresh seed, which can take up to 18 months to reach maturity. Without a crop in progress, losses this season could stretch out even longer.
Scott Castro runs the Blue Moon Oyster farm in Katama bay. He said sales usually ramp up around this time of the year. But he has not sold a single oyster since March 10.