Maryland Watermen want restrictions on oysters, crabs eased
PRINCESS ANNE -- Somerset County watermen say Maryland should relax its crab catch restrictions for 2011, putting the state in line with size limits in Virginia.
Five watermen met with Delegate-elect Charles Otto, R-38A-Somerset, on Saturday in Princess Anne to discuss that matter. The group -- men who have been fishing the waters off Somerset's coast for decades -- also contend that the governor's aquaculture program will hurt watermen by taking away some of the best oyster bars.
I think we're beginning to see a trend here: Anybody with a financial interest in the bay would rather pursue that than to spend or lose money to improve the Bay. But what about aquaculture, you might ask (everyone does). Why don't the watermen switch to growing their own?
The five waterman began Saturday's discussion -- which was held in a back room at the Hotel Inn -- by stating their dismay for the governor's aquaculture plan. The plan ropes off 24 percent of existing habitat as oyster sanctuaries and establishes a process for leasing that land for the development of aquaculture projects...
Eddie Brimer, a Westover waterman, said that 40 years ago, there were aquaculture projects on the Manokin River and Wicomico River, but disease wiped out the project.
He said an initial investment for an acre, under the sanctuary program, is about $15,000."If this were such a good idea and such an easier way to make money, don't you think we'd already be doing it?" Brimer said.
Their not about putting money into the water. Their bout taking it out. The less money it cost them to take the better.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Gerald, the lesson here is nobody wants to pay their own money to fix the Bay. They always want somebody else's ox gored.
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