What to do with what the tide brings in: Dealing with fishing gear washed up on the beach

When forces of nature in the winter converge on Shelter Island, things get loose.

As soon as the ice on local bays and creeks (the most ice seen in a decade) began to break up and drift in heavy winds, reports started coming in from marinas, ferry operators, beachcombers and waterfront property owners.  Random timbers from piers, floats and lots of oyster-farming gear were floating free and washing up at Port of Egypt, the New Suffolk causeway, Gull Pond Beach, Cedar Beach, Wades Beach and Menhaden Lane.

Shelter Island bayman Sawyer Clark says working hard and smart to avoid losing gear is an important part of his trade. “When my gear gets destroyed or floats away, it’s on me. It’s not on the people who find it. It’s garbage and you have every right — in fact it’s good — to clean it up.”

Oyster-lovers know that the coldest months are when oysters are at their most delicious, but it’s also when oyster farms are at most peril. Fisherman Bert Waife said Shelter Island’s oyster farmers need the support of the community in a very hard winter. “We haven’t had a freeze like this in many years.  We are all responsible for our gear.  We do our best to maintain it,” he said. “We are trying to do our best to not be a nuisance, to be part of the community in a positive way.”

When ice, hurricanes, and nor’easters cause fishing gear to come loose and wash up on your favorite beach, here’s what you can do:

Look for identification. Many fishermen attach plastic identification tags to their gear, because they want it back. Some tags include a telephone contact for the owner, and it’s always a good idea to call them first. Fishermen also have the equipment needed to dig up cages or bags stuck in sand and haul them back to the farm.

Marine Patrol officer Beau Payne says Shelter Island Police Department has a role to play in keeping the beaches clear of flotsam and jetsam.  The tricky part is telling the difference between trash, and somebody’s valuable property, especially when the object is half-buried and covered in dead seaweed. “It is certainly a good idea to clearly affix contact info to anything left unattended in or near the water,” Payne said. “Any found property should be reported to the Police Department by calling 631-749-0600.”

Another option when you find oyster cages or the smaller net bags used in oyster ‘flip farming’ is to contact the Long Island Oyster Growers Association at i[email protected].  They know the farmers, where their farms are located, and what kind of gear they use, and can usually reunite them with their gear based on the location and a photo.

Kate Rossi-Snook, Aquaculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program, said, “Gear and oyster seed are huge investments for farmers. Losses and damages to gear due to storms — on top of this winter’s ice keeping many farmers landbound and unable to tend to their oysters — can make for a devastating winter season. I genuinely hope that our East End oyster farmers can successfully rebound — we can help support them by making sure we enjoy locally farmed and fished seafood.”