Branford Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture (DoAg) acquired 900 acres of Town Shellfish Franchise grounds in 2014, which created a unique opportunity to grow the shellfish industry. Underwater lands of Long Island Sound are held in Public Trust by the State of Connecticut, however shellfishing rights were legislated to the Town through the 1855 Act “regulating and protecting the planting of Oysters.” The Town Shellfish Commission designated those shellfish rights to individual applicants, those rights continued in perpetuity and could be transferred. The Department purchased those rights with the intent to foster the development of new commercial aquaculture enterprises in this incubator area, public awareness of and support for local and sustainable aquaculture, and public stewardship of the environment.

The total area available in the Branford Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative is shown below:

The Branford Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative will create local economic and environmental benefits via:

• Small-scale cage and bottom culture of oysters and clams
• Expansion and enhancement of public recreational shellfishing areas
• New opportunities for Education and Workforce training for the Regional Science Agriculture high schools (Bridgeport, New Haven, and Groton), with an aquaculture focus, and creation of a mechanism for entry into commercial aquaculture ventures
• Collaborative research projects between the Department of Agriculture, National Marine Fisheries, USDA APHIS, State and private universities, and Connecticut Sea Grant
• Partnerships with non-government organizations, conservation, and environmental organizations
• Creation of enhancement and rehabilitation programs that plant recovered oyster shell and mature oysters to encourage natural recruitment that will develop oyster seed areas

To date we have 12 sites, leased by 10 companies, totaling 59.77 acres.

• Jonathan Waters of Thimble Island Shellfish Inc. leases 2.75 acres on lot 178.
• Kim Granbery of Leetes Island Oysters, LLC leases 2.75 acres on lots 316 and 324.
• Christopher Walston of C.W. Shellfish, Inc. leases 4.03 acres on BIL#1, and 1.98 acres on BIL #1.
• Theodore Burdacki of Bear Island Clam Company leases 2.51 acres on BIL #10.
• Lawrence Harris of LMH Charters, LLC leases 4.36 acres on BIL #2.
• Zachary Gordon of Soundwaters Aquaculture, LLC leases 4.74 acres on BIL #15.
• Sean Reilly of New England Oyster Farm, LLC leases 5.51 acres on BIL #13.
• Spencer Bartel of Stony Creek Oysters, LLC leases 6.18 acres on BIL #11 and 3.89 acres on BIL #12.
• Charles Viens of SuperOcean, LLC leases 14.34 acres on BIL #14.
• Samuel Curtis Greenvall leases 4.8 acres on BIL #9.

Multiple types of aquaculture are occurring. Hatchery clam seed is being planted on the bottom and covered with predator netting on three parcels. Oysters are grown on the bottom and in cages on six parcels. Two individuals are inactive or awaiting gear permits from other permitting agencies. Three sites obtained gear permits in 2024.

The leased areas are shown with cross hatching on the map below: