In a much-anticipated step towards future Chesapeake Bay restoration, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced at its Oct. 8 Oyster Advisory Commission meeting that it will target three new tributaries for large-scale oyster restoration. The selected sanctuaries include Hooper Strait and the Nanticoke River near Dorchester County, and Herring Bay in southern Anne Arundel County. This work will be funded in part by a $10 million NOAA grant dedicated to oyster reef construction in Maryland.
Large-scale oyster restoration has been one of the Chesapeake Bay partnership’s most successful initiatives. In the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Maryland committed to restoring oysters in five tributaries by 2025. Work has been completed in four tributaries to date, with over 1,000 acres of oyster reefs restored. Oyster reefs filter water and provide essential habitat for other iconic Bay species like blue crab and striped bass.
In its 2024 Hope on the Half Shell report, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) recommended building off this success and targeting oyster restoration in 20 additional Bay tributaries. DNR’s commitment to three new projects is a promising start. It also sets an important example as leaders look to update the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement beyond 2025.
Allison Colden, CBF Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement:
“Oysters are the bedrock of our ecosystem and are key to adapting to climate change, building resilient shorelines, improving water quality, and supporting local economies. An investment in oyster restoration is an investment in a healthier Chesapeake Bay and more vibrant communities.
“The Bay Agreement’s current model of targeting and fully restoring tributaries for oysters has been wildly successful, and we should continue building off that progress. DNR’s latest commitment to three new tributaries is a great start towards that effort, but we hope it’s just that—a start. Maryland has dozens of tributaries ripe for additional oyster restoration, which in turn will help mitigate the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, and erosion, as well as clean our waterways, support habitat, and benefit communities.”
