Mr. Naylor's job is very difficult. He serves as a mediator between environmental groups, legislators, watermen, farmers, and others who all have their own opinions about what the government should do regarding the Bay. His job is to make compromises, as well as promote the most scientifically and economically sound management of the Bay's vast resources. This obviously leads to conflicts and unhappiness on all sides. As he stated, "if everyone is angry with you, you're probably doing something right."
Under the current government, the Maryland DNR has a ten point oyster plan that spans everything from creating new sanctuaries where no oyster harvest can occur to integrating inmate labor into the restoration efforts. More about this plan can be found at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/oysters/eco_resto/
The DNR has had some great successes in the past 4 years. They have successfully lobbied against bills that would have allowed for highly invasive power dredging that would have decimated the remaining oyster reefs. They have increased the percentage of protected oyster sanctuaries from 3% to 24%. They have increased the law enforcement presence around protected reefs to prevent poaching. The DNR has also gained the right to revoke the oyster licenses from convicted poachers, which can provide a stronger incentive against illegal harvesting than the often negligible fines that are imposed on them.
But, according to Mr. Naylor, the greatest threat the oyster faces in the Chesapeake Bay is disease. The average reduction of oysters in the Bay due to harvesting each year is about 18%. This is also only a reduction of oysters that have reached "market size", which is 3 inches in the state of Maryland. As a comparison, disease outbreaks can kill off up to 90% of a native population. However, disease is not something that neither the DNR or organizations like CBF can do very much about. It is something that has to be solved through natural selection, which can take thousands of years (or more) and will result in the death of numerous oysters that lack natural resistance to the diseases. Unfortunately, this futility is not something that brings people together for restoration projects. Also, even though commercial oyster harvest may not be the leading cause of decline, it still impacts the ability of oyster populations to gain any type of resistance because it removes all the adult oysters, whether they are resistant or not.
All in all, the goals of the DNR are to make the Bay an environmentally and economically viable region. This means that they are trying to create a place for watermen and conservationists alike. Mr. Naylor, and the rest of his staff, have a very delicate, but very important job to do. Their contribution, on both a restoration and legislative level is invaluable.
On a weather related note, the class would like to extend our thanks to the CBF for letting us move into their building for the night as tropical storm Andrea makes its way up the coast. We will continue to save the Bay from the comfort of their beautiful LEED Platinum certified office.
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