Asian Oyster in the Chesapeake... lessons to be learned and evaluated for Ocean City Maryland and the Eastern Shore...

 Some decisions are irreversible.   Pretty much since that monster asteroid created the Chesapeake Bay, what was in the Bay, stayed in the "Chesapeake Bay."    When men oystered the bay, they didn't bring back to port oysters, they brought back perls of joy you swallowed down or delicately sauteed or stewed.

What created the bay, aside from the great asteroid, was run off and errosion.   Nature's toilet and filtration system and then the complete recycling into the ocean. Where then  moisture from great storms is gathered and replenished to the land.

Then man stepped in and now we don't have as many oysters.   From over harvesting  world demand, taxing the natural filtration system, and a natural disease.   Introducing the Asian Oyster to the Chesapeake Bay is an irreversible action.   While recommendations for a five year study may seem adequate,  introducing a replacement species as compared to actually taking a firm and real direction to reversing the damage to the Bay could be the wrong direction.      

Would introducing the Asian Oyster into the Chesapeake Bay be like replacing a trout with a Louisiana mud-catfish in your favorite stream ?
Fish and Wildlife Report
http://www.fws.gov/r5cbfo/Asianoyster.htm
CBP press release
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/nonnative_oysters_impact.htm
MDNR press release
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2004/011204.html
National Academy of Sciences
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10796.html
     

While most certainly the back bays Indian River, Assawoman, Sinepuxtent  are not exactly known or have produced (recently) oyster beds the most recent concerns are the natural grasses and the over development of coastal "fringe" areas.    The concept is simple,  the process of extinction of either, is death to life in that body of water.    Just recently the projects of Americana Bayside have gone forward.   And with all the efforts to get the project in "place," not near enough forsight to the pernament repercussions of long term impact of the development was taken into consideration.   Truely the benefactor of selling the low lieing semi-marsh land were the farmers. Who have all to many times, had to have their tractors wenched out of the muck where a house will eventually be built.

It may very well be that the Asian Oyster will be one of the saviors of the Cheasapeake Bay.   It may very well be that the native Chesapeake Bay oyster is no more.     Last week a pint of  Maryland Blue Crab meat was sought for purchase.   None was found.  There were plenty of tins from Mexico, India, and Venuezela, but none from the Chesapeake Bay.    If truly the Cheaspeake Bay Oyster is dead, then supposedly, the Asian species,  will save the oyster, to the shuckers knife, a road trip.