Islip gets $125G grant for hatchery expansion

The Town of Islip has secured a $125,000 county grant to expand its hatchery, which grows and sells shellfish.

Officials said they will use the money, provided through the Suffolk County Division of Water Quality Improvement, to make plans and designs for a $1.7-million proposed expansion of the facilities.

“It’s important because in this economic climate, we have to find different sources of funding to improve our services and our environment,” said Councilman John Edwards, who, with the help of the town’s department of environmental conservation, applied for the grant.

Edwards said officials want to make the hatchery bigger and grow more shellfish there. The changes could mean more revenue for the town and an increase in the shellfish population of the Great South Bay.

“The shellfish can improve the ecosystem of the Great South Bay because they act as a filter and fight back effects of brown tide,” Edwards said.

As part of the grant, the town had to match the county’s funds with “in-kind services.” Edwards said the town met the requirement by dedicating personnel time to applying for and administering the grant.