State / Commonwealth / Territory - Marine Managed Areas (MMAs)

M A R Y L A N D

Highlighted MMAs: Oyster Sanctuaries
Scientists in Maryland and Virginia have released a scientific consensus, under the auspices of the Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC), setting out specific actions that could guide long-term restoration of oyster populations to the Chesapeake Bay. The consensus calls for a new concept of oyster management, one that recognizes the vital ecological function of oysters and oyster reefs for the health of the Bay. By constructing substantial reef habitats and properly managing them, the scientists say, will improve chances to develop a sustainable oyster fishery, one that does not depend on public subsidies to maintain.

At the heart of the consensus is the recommendation to reestablish oyster reefs that are high above the bottom – living structures that are natural to the Bay ecosystem but have been nearly eliminated. These reefs must be protected in sanctuaries, researchers say, off-limits to harvesting.

Historically, oyster policy and management in Maryland, and in neighboring Virginia, has focused on one goal, the support of the commercial oyster fishery. In addition, during the past ten years, the significance the role of oysters play in filtering water by removing excessive nutrients, a benefit to the oyster industry, has been well documented.

With this in mind, scientists agree that the Maryland oyster restoration must not manage oysters merely to support a commercial fishery, but must also be managed and restored for their ecological value in such a way that a sustainable fishery can exist.

The bi-state Chesapeake Bay Aquatic Reef Plan and the Oyster Fishery Management Plan of 1994 called for restoring 5,000 acres of three-dimensional oyster reef habitat. While Maryland and Virginia officials have initiated the restoration effort, the bi-state Chesapeake Bay Aquatic Reef Plan and the Oyster Fishery Management Plan of 1994 called for restoring 5,000 acres of three-dimensional oyster reef habitat. While Maryland and Virginia officials have initiated the restoration effort, numerous questions remain including how many oyster sanctuaries should there be and where should they be placed?

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