Earlier this week, the General Assembly passed a bill to set stricter oyster harvesting regulations. The Department of Natural Resources regulates oyster sanctuaries across the state, but the bill attempts to wrangle authority from the DNR, and place it in the hands of the State Legislature. The DNR is considering shrinking the sanctuaries, whereas the Legislature wants to keep them intact. This specific bill would’ve prevented harvesting in Harris Creek and the Tred Avon River in Talbot County, the Little Choptank River in Dorchester County, the Saint Mary’s River in Saint Mary’s County, and the Manokin River in Somerset County. Somerset County in particular has a significant percentage of people making their living off of the Chesapeake Bay.
The bill is important because although the Chesapeake Bay’s health is much improved than its past, oyster populations remain low. There are about half as many as in 1999 and less than 1% of populations before Europeans colonized Maryland. Oysters are also a keystone species to the Bay’s health because they filter excess nutrients out of the water, preventing deadzones and low dissolved oxygen levels. Considering the Bay receives a lot of farm runoff, oysters are especially important to the Bay’s health.
The debate brings up a quintessential small town versus large city misunderstanding. The General Assembly, dominated by Democrat representatives from Baltimore and DC, stands in favor of improving the Bay’s health now in the short term. The mostly Republican minority Eastern Shore representatives opposed the bill on the grounds of keeping a main source of income for many classic Eastern Shore watermen.
Interestingly though, Republican governor Larry Hogan vetoed the bill, meaning it will not go into effect unless the Senate overrules it. Hogan sided with the watermen, saying that it was not fair to a part of Maryland’s culture and forgotten workforce. Regulations posted by the Department of Natural Resources had previously ensured fair regulations for watermen, and obviously Hogan sided with that population. This move is yet another respectable act by Hogan to support Marylanders in rural areas.
However, given the high amounts of previous support for the bill in the General Assembly, Hogan’s veto is expected to be overridden, meaning the regulations supporting closing the areas will go into effect. It’s an unfortunate development for watermen, and yet another blow to a part of the workforce that is finding it harder and harder to make a living. Part of the Maryland identity has been living off the Chesapeake Bay, and many of these watermen are from families who have lived this way for generations. It’s easy to see why they are upset, and why politicians support them despite being such a minority.
It's a celebrated move for big city environmentalists, who cite concerns over protecting the Bay. This raises the debate over regulation vs. absolute protection. The DNR had been attempting to maintain the Bay through responsible regulation, but environmental interest groups, generally backed by Democrats, did not think it was enough. The DNR tends to side with using the Bay and other environments as responsibility managed resources, while environmental groups tend to favor complete protection. It’s an interesting debate with no clear answer.
Both the Clean Chesapeake Coalition and the Delmarva Fisheries Association have expressed concerns that the bill, if passed, will be a “crushing blow” to the Eastern Shore’s seafood industry. Delegate Kathy Szeliga of District 7, a district covering Northern Baltimore County and Southern Harford County issued the following statement: “Who cares about the Chesapeake Bay more than the people who live there? More than the people who make their living there?” Delegate April Rose of rural Carroll County voiced a common sentiment of rural Marylanders: “We really feel like in the rural areas that our voices are not only not heard, they’re just not even considered.” Both oppose the bill’s passing. Delegate Kathleen Dumais from urban center Montgomery County responded “I do listen to you...We do have to protect the Bay, and this is the way that we believe to move forward.”
Western Shore urbanites love their Maryland seafood, but they also might have to deal with higher oyster prices at their favorite seafood restaurant real soon.
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