DUXBURY, MASS. (WHDH) – Oysters are a mainstay of Duxbury’s marine economy with 12 million of the shelled gems taken out of the waters last year.
But state health officials have ordered a temporary pause on oyster harvesting in Duxbury, Plymouth, Kingston, and Pleasant Bay on the Cape after seven people got sick within the last month from consuming oysters pulled from those waters.
Duxbury’s harbormaster says the hot summer could be a factor.
“If the bay itself is very warm it could be prevalent and then it has a higher ability to increase the bacteria,” Jake Emerson said, Duxbury Harbormaster.
The shutdown of at least a week and maybe more is a real blow to the men and women who farm the oysters from the region.
“You know, you’ve got guys going at least a week without a paycheck and, you know, it really puts the reputations of the farms in jeopardy,” Quintin Viera said, Oyster Farmer.
At Island Bay Creek Oyster Bar, they’re still selling local product that was harvested before the pause, and if it continues, they’ll sell more oysters from other local producers.
“All the guests that are coming here to have oysters from Duxbury Bay, they will be excited with the oysters that they’re getting from the other farms and we will hopefully have our own back in soon,” Ryan Belval said, General Manager of Island Creek Raw Bar.
The customers say they’ve seen the standard warning that consuming raw seafood comes with a risk, and that’s not stopping them from enjoying.
“I’m willing to take some risk to enjoy things in life and I think we have to do that for, whether it’s a roller coaster , a sushi bar or some local oysters,” Andrew Searles said, D.C. resident.
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