September 28, 2026 — Massachusetts oyster farmers say a growing wave of sewage-linked shellfish facility closures is putting one of the state’s signature seafood industries under serious strain.
On the South Coast, growers warn that repeated shutdowns after rain are cutting off sales for weeks at a time, making it increasingly hard for some farms to stay afloat.
Here’s what to know
For South Coast oyster growers, closures triggered by combined sewer overflows, or CSOs, have become a mounting business risk since 2024. As Cape and Islands reported, Massachusetts oyster farms produce roughly 54 million oysters a year, and Fairhaven’s West Island Oysters spans 47 acres, making it one of the state’s biggest operations.
Repeated closures are making survival tougher for growers, said Dale Leavitt, who co-owns West Island Oysters and retired from Roger Williams University as a marine scientist.
“We’ve already lost one farm in Nasketucket Bay, and we’re probably going to lose another one very shortly,” he said, per CAI. “I mean, when you’re closed 50% of the year to being able to sell oysters, it sort of impacts your cash flow.”
A possible sewage release after heavy rain can trigger a 21-day shutdown because stormwater overflowing from New Bedford pipes may carry fecal bacteria into shellfish beds. The state can test oysters after a week and reopen an area if conditions are safe, but when storms keep arriving, one closure can quickly be followed by another.