In response to the declining numbers of oysters, the Bay Savers announced today its plans to file a civil lawsuit against any individual who violates the law. If watermen are more concerned about losing money  than the impending threat of losing the nation’s largest estuary,   perhaps a legal settlement is the best  incentive for them to start caring.

As a newly formed organization,  the Chesapeake Bay Savers wants to legally support —any recent environmental legislation passed to enforce oyster sanctuary boundaries because we feel that serious state run law enforcement is long overdue. The only way the O’Malley administration’s recent decision to expand oyster sanctuaries in Maryland is to see greater enforcement of  those boundaries.

The Maryland Department of Resources is stepping up  law enforcement on the Bay and we want to see these actions are successfully maintained.  The Bay Savers will be working closely with police and scientist they have enlisted,  to make sure watermen understand the severity of fishing violations and their effects on the Bay.

How bad is the problem?

According to a recent report by the Maryland Oyster Advisory, “there is no single factor more important to the future of ecological restoration and aquaculture than to address and dramatically reduce the ongoing illegal oyster harvesting activities.” the report said. Stealing those oysters,  is like stealing from everyone—everyone  is effected by the declining oyster count. Not only watermen, but everyone who shares the Chesapeake Bay waterway and enjoys its health. Preserving the Chesapeake has failed more often because too many politicians want  to please conflicting interest groups; laws are made but not enforced; money is spent to clean the water while regulations are lenient  on farmers dumping nitrogen into the Bay.

While billions of dollars are spent to clean the Bay’s water and restore oyster populations, watermen are caught dredging the few oysters that clean the water naturally.  If watermen are foolishly working against themselves, causing their own industry to fail, than wouldn’t it be in their own interest to want to replenish the oyster population?

Its incredible that any watermen are still trying to harvest oysters out of the Chesapeake at all when ”Commercial harvests have fallen by 90% over the past 25 years, from more than 2 million bushels to a little more than 100,000 bushels the season before last.” If watermen realized the enormous economic gain oyster farming could bring them, they would have been richer long ago.  Just look at what the Chop Tank River company is doing in Cambridge Maryland. This commercial aquaculture farm  produces  a high quality oyster that is not only better tasting but healthier for the consumer.  And  they are producing on average 2 million of them per year, year round.

On October 8th, the Chesapeake BaySavers and NAIOP, National Association of Industrial Office Planning- developing leaders volunteer group, met at the Annapolis Maritime  Museum in Eastport and set up the process of filing and delivering oyster cages to White Hall Creek, Spa Creek, Back Creek and Lake Ogleton.  Our Mission for the day was to assist with the Maryland Oyster Growing Program through our grassroots effort to replenish and add oyster cages to area waterways.

The volunteers filled cages with spat and divided the group between five boats for delivery. By accepting the challenge of delivering cages by boat to residents the Chesapeake BaySavers, along with the help of our enthusiastic  NAIOP volunteers, distributed a total of 285 cages under residents’ piers.  We are proud to announce this s a record setting number,three times what we distributed last year! Thank you NAIOP and a big thank you to all our oyster growing members in Annapolis!

Following the event, the Chesapeake BaySavers hosted a celebration cook out dinner to honor our partnership with NAIOP and thank our volunteers. Senator John Astle, Delegate Mike Busch and Delegate Heather Mizeur attended the day’s event and spoke of the important work CBS and NAIOP performed that day. All appreciated their recognition of our efforts.

Please visit our Events page to view more photographs from this fabulous event.

Senate President Mike Miller and Chesapeake BaySavers founder Evan Thalenberg discuss the strong heritage of the Chesapeake Bay and the need to preserve and restore the Bay fore the generations to come.

Protecting at least 25% of quality oyster habitat is essential to both the future health and prosperity of the Bay’s oyster population and to sustainable harvest. (source:http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/oysters/pdfs/GovernorsOfficeSlidesFinal.pdf)

Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposal aims to:

• Significantly increase Maryland’s network of oyster sanctuaries. The goal is to increase sanctuaries from 9 percent to 25 percent of remaining quality habitat, allowing oysters to live longer, spawn without harvest pressure and develop a natural resistance to disease over time. Maryland DNR will improve enforcement to monitor sanctuaries for poaching.
• Increase areas open to leasing for oyster aquaculture and streamline the permitting process. This will identify 600,000 acres that can be opened to leasing for oyster aquaculture.
• Identify areas off limits to leasing. This will allow for continued support of a more targeter, sustainable, scientifically managed public oyster fishery.

The plan is based on the findings of a six-year Environmental Impact Study of oyster restoration options, as well as the work of the Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission and the Aquaculture Coordinating Council.

The regulations will be published in the Maryland register on July 2, which will begin a six-week public comment period. If approved, the regulations will take effect in early September, prior to the October 1 start of the oyster season.

Learn more about the oyster restoration plan at DNR’s website.