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It is past time that we begin, so we are announcing that next Thursday, we'll be submitting our
Sanctuary Public Shellfish and Aquaculture Leasing Regulations to the Joint Committee
of the General Assembly that considers regulations. We'll be submitting those for their review
and we hope ultimately for their support.
And again, Senator Pinsky, thank you for your leadership.
Secretary Griffin gave me a quote from Maryland's first Oyster Commissioner, who wrote in 1905 . . .
What was his name John?
What was it?
William Brooks
William Brooks
William Brooks in 1905 wrote these words:
The oyster grounds of Virginia and North Carolina, and those of Georgia and Louisiana,
are increasing in value, and many of our packing houses are being moved to the south, but there
is no oyster farming in Maryland, and our oyster beds are still in a state of nature,
affording a scanty and precarious livelihood to those who depend upon them.
Well that was a hundred years ago, now finally we are a century later, while those words
still ring true, because of the disease, the pollution, the destruction of habitat,
the failure to embrace aquaculture, all of these things have lead to the decline of the oyster.
But, the regulations that we're putting forward
it's a are is the turning point here.
It is why we developed our Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development Plan.
It will open 600,000 previously closed acres to leasing for oyster aquaculture, while continuing
to support a more targeted, sustainable, and scientifically managed public oyster fishery.
The regulations we're submitting will put into place our expanded sanctuary network
and change existing regulations to encourage development of aquaculture in Maryland.
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