​LI Seafood Processing Feasibility

Overview

The Long Island Seafood Processing Feasibility Study is a quantitative and qualitative literature review that assesses the health of Long Island’s seafood Industry. Part of New York’s Blue Food Transformation initiative, launched in 2024 by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, which aims to bolster marine agriculture, promote a healthy environment, and provide New Yorkers with a nutritious source of local seafood. Long Island has traditionally been a hub for whaling, fishing, and shell fishing, along its north and south shores. Unfortunately, Long Island’s economic status as a provider of local seafood, relative to its neighboring state competitors, has steadily declined. Developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension in partnership with New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, this report outlines the industry’s needs as shared by industry stakeholders during the study period and makes recommendations for meaningful actions to recover, support, and grow the seafood industry on Long Island.

Key Action Steps 

Short Term Actions:

• Enact policies that protect and preserve the working waterfront.
• For all docks, repair and update current working waterfronts, including dock repair and building pack-out/unloading services.
• Establish three-phase power to the Shinnecock Commercial Dock to accommodate services like ice making and cold storage.
• Expand bulk ice-making to support the commercial fishing fleet and aquaculture on Long Island.
• Create a statewide New York seafood marketing plan.
• Work with the industry to facilitate permitting and market connections.

Long Term Actions:

• Act toward increasing New York commercial fishing quotas.
• Establish seafood processing on Long Island, including a small-scale community kitchen/processing center and a large-scale processor.
• Create incentives (e.g., bioextraction tax credit program) for kelp cultivation within oyster aquaculture farms in exchange for environmental health benefits produced by the farm.

Please find the report below:

2025 Evaluating The Feasibility of Seafood Processing On Long Island - Full Report

Recent News – As the report is rolled out, please watch this space for announcements regarding seafood processing on Long Island.

Last updated December 15, 2025