Craving Oysters? Off Montauk, One Oyster Man Reinvents Himself During The Pandemic

“There’s a storm coming,” said oyster man Mike Martinsen, slanted green eyes peering towards the open water, as he stood at the helm of his seasoned vessel, inhaling the ocean breeze. 

Mr. Martinsen was only eight years old when he realized he could dig up clams near his home in Northport, Long Island, and sell them at a nice profit. 

“By the age of ten,” he said, “I filled my red wagon with oysters and got $212 for it!” 

That’s how he bought his first boat. Since then, Mr. Martinsen has spent a lifetime on the water, first as a commercial fisherman and now in Montauk as an oyster farmer armed with a wet suit and a degree in marine biology from Stony Brook University. It’s easy to assume that Mr. Martinsen, who launched the first floating oyster farm in New York State on the Easternmost tip of Long Island, has seen his share of storms, but the tornado that engulfed our planet earlier this year is a whole other beast.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 70% of all seafood American ingest is consumed at restaurants or bars, so their closure has had a devastating effect on the fishing industry. Pre-pandemic, Mr. Martinsen’s oysters, Montauk Pearls, could be found on some of the region’s top tables, from Manhattan’s Mermaid Inn and BR Guest restaurants to Sag Harbor’s Bell & Anchor and Lulu’s Kitchen. 

“In April 2019,” said Mr. Martinsen, “We sold about 60,00 oysters. Last month we were at 4,000.”

Because Montauk Pearls are raised first in the clean waters in Lake Montauk, a wide inlet near the Montauk Lighthouse, and then “finished” off Block Island, the mollusks benefit in two ways from the powerful currents: they gorge on the rich phytoplankton and then develop a hard, deep shell.

 “Our house oysters are the Montauk Pearls,” said Bell & Anchor co-owner David Loewenberg, a thirty-year alum of the East End hospitality scene. “Because they have an ideal balance between clear salinity and creamy texture.” The restaurant is known for its raw bar where the oysters are served simply on the half shell with mignonette (red wine vinegar and diced shallots) and cocktail sauce.

At the Mermaid Inn in Manhattan, Corporate Chef Michael Cressotti often serves Montauk Pearls as his New York choice.

“It’s a great oyster,” he said. “Its taste reminds people about that day at the beach.”

Everyone eats oysters differently but Chef Cressotti advises to experience them pure. 

“You don’t even need a fork,” he said. “Just slurp the whole thing and savor its liquor.”

What does he envision for the future? “Everyone is in the same boat” said Chef Cressotti, “We’re ready to hop in and start rowing.”

Mr. Martinsen who now delivers from Watermill to Montauk and ships nationwide, already spends his days on the boat, tending to his pearls. He’s just waiting for the wind to shift.