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| (Chesapeake Bay Program) |
A new 143-slip marine is being planned for a 900-acre resort community in Charles county. The developer had already received approval for the marine in 2008, but due to the recession was never built, now the developer must apply for a permit renewal.
Permit renewal may be complicated, however, in the past six years oyster restoration efforts have become a big concern and the planned marina would be built near the Potomac's largest and formerly most productive oyster bar (Swan Point oyster bar). Concern that the marina may threaten the oyster restoration efforts by silt stirred up from dredging or changes in the river flow from the planned breakwater. Now, the bi-state Potomac commission has called on Maryland regulators to look deeper into the possible repercussions the marina could have on oyster restoration efforts in the area.
The Swan Point oyster bar has seen serious declines in its' oyster population. Four years ago the harvest was reported at only 11 bushels, while roughly a decade ago 1,400 bushels were harvested. These harvests are only a fractions of those almost 50 years ago when the river was producing 1 million bushels in a single season.
Oyster restoration efforts include "seeding" portions of the old bars with dense batches of oysters to help their odds of reproducing. If successful, increased oyster populations could help clean up the river and benefit commercial fisherman.
Read More from the original article in The Baltimore Sun
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