When contacting your elected representative, ask them specifically what they are going to do to increase oyster populations. As you know, the Governors of the key Bay states have agreed to increase the oyster population tenfold in ten years. Federal assistance is a key component to ensure that we meet this goal. In colonial times, the Chesapeake Bay oyster population was made up of towering reefs that supported a thriving biological community. For many years, oysters were the most valuable commercial fishery in the Bay, but by the 1990s, the population had declined to about 1 percent of historic levels.
Oysters are a keystone species, which means they are extremely important to the Bay s ecology.
When allowed to build upon each other for many years, oysters form three-dimensional reefs that provide habitat and food for scores of marine plants and animals. Oysters also help improve water quality by filtering large quantities of suspended particles and excess nutrients from the water. Today, we have a long way to go to rebuild this resource. But, a joint effort by state and federal agencies, citizens, and private groups has led to a remarkable resurgence of oysters. These reefs grow to become permanent sources of reproductive adult oysters.