PRINCESS ANNE, Md.– Watermen gathered on the Manokin River Wednesday, calling for the oyster sanctuary to be opened up for harvesting.
In 2019, the Manokin River was chosen as the 10th Chesapeake Bay tributary for large-scale oyster reef restoration. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement calls for the restoration of the native oyster population in 10 tributaries by 2025. The Manokin River is the final tributary to be selected for this Chesapeake Bay Program partnership effort.
John Milligan, president of the Chesapeake Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Association, says Wednesday’s gathering was designed to make the public aware of the situation and let it be known that watermen would like to harvest the Manokin.
“Even one day a week with a rotational harvest plan, which is what we were shooting for at the beginning of October before the legislators went into session,” Milligan said. “That's the goal here today. To just raise awareness and let the public know what's going on.”
Watermen say the ability to harvest is critical to their livelihood. But also say harvesting would benefit the oyster population and the bay.
"It's like a farmer,” said Eugene Evans, a commercial fisherman from Crisfield. “If you leave a field and don't do anything to it, it's going to grow up in the weeds and its going to die. It's going to benefit the farmer at no extent. It's just not going to work."
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of the bay, would not weigh in on the watermen’s desire to harvest the Manokin, other than to say doing so would be against the law.
If watermen were to be able to harvest the sanctuary, the Maryland General Assembly would have to change the law. Currently, there is no bill in Annapolis proposing such a change.