The Oyster Farmers

Filmmaker Corinne G. Ruff’s encouraging documentary shows what can happen when a dying industry gets smart about cultivating as well as harvesting nature’s products. The Oyster Farmers looks at the resurgence of Eastern oysters off the Northeastern seaboard of the United States, where over-exploitation (beginning in the 19th century), raw sewage, destruction of habitat, and other human-made problems began to wipe out once-plentiful oysters as far back as the 1920s. With a particular focus on Barnegat Bay on the New Jersey coast, which was once full of oysters, the film reveals how few beds remain for "baymen" to scoop up the briny delicacy (it takes two years for an oyster to be mature enough to be consumed in a matter of seconds). But a new generation of so-called oyster farmers are as concerned about ensuring the longevity of their trade as they are about making a profit. Thanks to no-brainer techniques such as recycling empty oyster shells back into the water (to fortify oyster beds with nutrients) and restricting access to harvesting waters, the Eastern oyster now has an opportunity to rebound. Shot with great energy (the camera is often out on narrow, crowded boats capturing baymen, baywomen, and their obligatory boat dogs in action), the film effectively captures the hard forward-looking work of oyster farming. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)