The benefits of Maryland’s oyster restoration initiatives are well understood, but just where they place sanctuaries in the St. Mary’s River and exactly how they spell out the rules is still a hot debate in southern Md.
On Saturday, May 22, Md. Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin will speak at the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association’s annual meeting and is expected to address those issues.
TheBAYNET.com met up with SMRWA’s Executive Director Bob Lewis in the southern end of the county to see first-hand how oyster operations are going in the river and learn more about the future of what Lewis calls “the most important tool in our restoration-of-the-bay toolbox.”
At a pier in Milburn Creek, Lewis tended to oysters growing in cages and floats and pointed out a section of leased bottom being used for aquaculture. He explained how the St. Mary’s River is distinctive, being one of only two in the Chesapeake Bay system where oysters are naturally breeding.
Filter-feeder oysters cleanse the water and with the St. Mary’s high levels of degradation, environmentalists say it’s a prime location for sanctuaries and restoration efforts. Lewis said, “by stewarding these oysters through that vulnerable first year, they not only survive, but thrive here.” He showed off a cage containing 31-week-old spat on shell that was teeming with new growth and aquatic life.