Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay are in the midst of a comeback. During the past 20 years, the oyster population in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay has tripled, according to this year’s stock assessment conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Maryland’s success in bringing back the oyster population is the result of dedicated restoration efforts, favorable environmental conditions, and informed fisheries management. The good news for oysters is good news for the Chesapeake Bay. Oysters are keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay that support the marine food web, naturally filter water, and create habitats for other species. “Last month, I had the opportunity to join many of our partners to celebrate the completion of oyster restoration in the Manokin River Sanctuary on the lower Eastern Shore. The Manokin was the last of five oyster restoration sanctuaries completed in Maryland. The others are in the Tred Avon River, Harris Creek, St. Mary’s River, and Little Choptank. The productive oyster reefs built up in these five sanctuaries are a testament to the hard work that DNR’s staff and partners have dedicated to this effort, and the new reefs prove how oysters […]
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