With Governor Martin O’Malley’s announcement yesterday about the state of the Chesapeake Bay oyster stock, and his proposed increased investment in local waters, now is an attractive time for local watermen to step into the aquaculture business. Here’s why.
Results of the fall 2011 Oyster Survey announced yesterday showed a 92% survival rate – the best rate in decades. Those results were achieved in a year with the biggest dead zones in the Bay ever, as well as the devastating effects of heavy spring rains and Hurricanes Irene and Lee, which brought sediment from the Susquehanna River to the Bay in record amounts. The lower salinities produced by these storms ended up offering benefit to the oyster population in reducing diseases, which typically affect oysters in high salinity areas. New high spatset numbers in areas such as Tangier Bay offer more signs that native oysters are developing immunity to both MSX and Dermo, the diseases so ruinous to the native oyster population.
The Governor’s proposed budget includes:
– A $7.5 million investment in the creation of oyster reefs in Harris Creek as well as the Little Choptank – both of these waters are presently oyster sanctuary.
– $500,000 investment for the MARBIDCO – Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation – aquaculture loan fund. These funds may be limited to watermen.
Harris Creek in Talbot County was declared oyster sanctuary in 2009, and has been off-limits completely to oyster harvest activity. Harris Creek already sees a strong natural spatset, so those with leases in Harris Creek may only need minimal timely preparation (placing dried shell on the lease in early summer) to receive a strong, natural spat-set on their leased bottom. Having the entire Harris Creek as sanctuary can only help safeguard any leases in those waters from poaching. And the DNR does allow leases within the sanctuary – this may not be true in the future.
If the new Dept. of Natural Resources/Oyster Restoration Program reef in Harris Creek proves to be successful with the millions in state investment, it could become a “factory” for oyster larvae that could strike on oyster leases throughout the creek. And finally, MARBIDCO is receiving additional dollars to fund low-interest loans for watermen to pursue aquaculture.
Given this situation, local watermen are in a position to take advantage of timing and the state’s investment to step into aquaculture in the simplest form – bottom leases depending on natural spat fall. This type of aquaculture does not require heavy investment in tanks, pools or technology. It relies simply on leasing good bottom – of which Harris Creek has a significant amount, some bottom-preparation and time for the natural spatset to grow to maturity – 2 to 3 years.
For local watermen who have been considering stepping into aquaculture, there’s no time like the present.
Jon Farrington contributed to this story.
Mike Thielke/Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) says
Kathy is absolutely correct, there is no better time than the present for waterman to get into oyster aquaculture. ESEC has helped waterman develop business plans in pursuit of MARBIDCO funding to get their businesses started. The owners of Hooper’s Island Oyster Company in Dorchester County have led the way in reinventing the oyster industry in Maryland and serve as a terrific example of what successes can be achieved, both through personal wealth creation and economic growth to the community through job creation.