Fresh out of the water, the oysters were overflowing with briny liquor, rich with a meaty mushroom finish. I tipped one back and took a second. And a third. After all, oysters may soon be going the way of the dodo bird.

One of the best parts about working in the oyster industry is that you’ll naturally find yourself in scenic, postcard-perfect coastal inlets and rustic seaside towns.

We’ll be heading to Greenport for an oystercentric day with some of New York’s leading watermen.

The Billion Oyster Project and Harbor School is headquartered on Governor’s Island, where New York City’s first and foremost oyster hatchery is located.

How many oysters survived through the winter?

I’m not sure what the mortality rate for oysters normally is, but having half of them die in just 6 months seems pretty severe!