Shellfish Related Programs

Ecological Restoration

Working closely with our partners to rehabilitate degraded habitat, improved bar quality and to plant disease-free hatchery oysters

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Aquaculture

Helping individuals or business persons apply for leases

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Commercial Fishing

Provide resources to watermen about the public oyster fishery

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Monitoring and Assessment

Collecting data to guide decisions regarding protection, restoration and commercial harvest of oysters in Maryland.

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Citizen Outreach

Initiated in 2008, the citizen outreach program know as Marylanders Grow Oysters is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the University of Maryland and local organizations.

Latest Shellfish News
NRP Blotter | (3/13/2013)
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged numerous people with violations in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Dorchester, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot and Wicomico counties in February. Anne Arundel County - On February 6, Joshua Alther, 38, of Edgewate...

DNR to Hold St Mary’s River Oyster Leasing Public Meeting | (11/29/2012)
The Maryland Department of Natural Resource (DNR) will hold a public meeting to discuss adding criteria to regulated oyster aquaculture inside of the St. Mary’s River Oyster Sancturary on December 6 from 3 to 7 p.m. It is the Department’s view that a regulate...

ORP, Anne Arundel County Announce Drop-Off Locations to Recycle Oyster Shells | (11/20/2012)
Shells Will Provide Homes for New Oysters in the Chesapeake BayOn this America Recycles Day, the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) and the Anne Arundel County Recycling Division today announced a partnership to provide three new public collection sites for the...

Marylanders Grow Oysters Program Continues to Expand in 2012 | (8/15/2012)
Annapolis, Md. (August 14, 2012) ─ Seven new tributaries are now a part of the Marylanders Grow Oysters program for 2012, adding even more momentum to the extremely popular and well received citizen oyster growing initiative. Each year, the ...

DNR Invites Marylanders To Join Oyster Growing Program | (3/26/2012)
Application deadline April 30The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for communities to help raise baby oysters for the 2012 season through the Marylanders Grow Oysters program. Now in its fifth year, the program is bigger and better than...

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  • Dates have been set for four public hearings on the proposed regulations submitted in May as part of the implementation of the Governor's Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development Plan. Read more.
  • The Shellfish Program is holding elections for county oyster committee representatives. Please review the public notice for further details on voting.
  • As announced at the June 3rd Chesapeake Bay Executive Council meeting by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) program is once again expanding to include seven new tributaries in its oyster gardening network for 2010. The new tributaries, located on Maryland's Eastern Shore and in AnneArundelCounty, are: the Chester River, the Miles River, the Wye River, Bodkin Creek, Cox Creek, Harris Creek and Swan Creek. MGO oysters grown during the 2009-10 season are currently being retrieved for placement in sanctuaries and cages will be refilled with new spat on shell later this summer.
  • MSU's Estuarine Research Center dedicates new oyster hatchery at ERC - Morgan State University's Estuarine Research Center (ERC) unveils its new oyster hatchery on Monday, May 3, 2010, Click here for full story.
  • The Oyster Recovery Partnership recently launched Maryland's first Oyster Shell Recycling Alliance. Oyster shell is a limited resource that should not be thrown away. Reused oyster shell provides crucial natural habitat for new oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. Click here to learn more.