| Chesapeake Bay Foundation opposes bill allowing commercial harvesting on reefs
By: Jane Alvarez-Wertz
https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/chesapeake-bay-foundation-opposes-bill-allowing-commercial-harvesting-on-reefs/
CHESAPEAKE BAY (WAVY) – One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, making them vital to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is now raising concerns about a federal funding bill the organization says could threaten ongoing oyster reef restoration efforts in the Bay.
The bill, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration budget, recently passed the House Appropriations Committee and is set to move to the House floor in the coming weeks.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation states the committee proposal would allow commercial harvesting on some protected oyster reefs. Additionally, the bill includes provisions that would cut funding for certain oyster sanctuary restoration projects.
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These measures, if enacted, could reverse decades of work to rebuild oyster populations and improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, according to CBF.
Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation. Sedlacek said the bill could have significant negative consequences for the Bay’s ecosystem. “This bill is a fast track to wrecking protected oyster reefs in the Bay. These provisions would derail decades of investment in the Chesapeake Bay’s thriving oyster sanctuaries, ignoring the promise that these reefs would be kept off-limits to harvest,” Sedlacek said.
The federal funding bill passed the House Appropriations Committee with a vote of 32 to 28.
Which organization opposes the federal funding bill allowing oyster harvesting?
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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the primary organization expressing strong opposition to a federal funding bill that would allow commercial harvesting on protected oyster reefs. The organization says the proposal, which recently passed the House Appropriations Committee, threatens decades of restoration efforts and water quality improvements in the Chesapeake Bay.
Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek says the legislation acts as a "fast track" to damaging protected sanctuaries that were promised to remain off-limits to harvesting. Beyond allowing commercial activity, the bill reportedly includes provisions to cut funding for specific oyster sanctuary restoration projects. Supporters of the ecosystem emphasize that a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water daily, making these reefs vital to the region's environmental health.
What potential impact does the bill have on the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem?
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The proposed federal funding bill could significantly impact the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem by allowing commercial harvesting on protected oyster reefs. According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, these provisions threaten to derail decades of restoration efforts intended to keep these sanctuaries off-limits to harvesting.
The legislation also includes potential budget cuts for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration programs that fund oyster sanctuary restoration. Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek says the bill acts as a "fast track" to damaging the Bay’s thriving reefs, which are critical for filtering water and improving overall water quality.
How does the artificial reef project relate to the proposed bill's provisions?
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The proposed federal funding bill would allow commercial harvesting on some protected Chesapeake Bay oyster reefs, a provision that local environmental groups say would threaten established artificial reef systems. According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the legislation also includes measures to cut funding for specific oyster sanctuary restoration projects.
These provisions are viewed as a reversal of decades of work aimed at rebuilding oyster populations and improving water quality. While the Virginia Marine Resources Commission continues to expand artificial reefs using materials like the historic vessel Freya and demolished concrete from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, advocates say the bill could "wreck" these thriving sanctuaries by ignoring promises to keep them off-limits to harvest. |
