Oyster poachers will soon face stiffer penalties
Just as poor oyster harvests are looming on the horizon, the state is cracking down on oyster poachers, with harsher penalties set to kick in July 1.
The new law gives the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) the authority to revoke commercial and recreational fishing licenses for up to five years (the current maximum is two years), levy fines of up to $10,000 and place a lien on a poacher's vessel or vehicle if the fine goes unpaid for six months.
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Commercial oystermen have enjoyed huge harvests for the past two years, raking in 504,000 bushels last year and 409,000 the previous year.
But annual surveys found poor spat sets in 2013 and 2014, signaling leaner harvests for the 2015-16 season that begins this fall.
It's long past time to put a ban on the harvest of wild oysters in Chesapeake Bay. Let them reproduce on their own for 5-10 years to find out if they are even still capable of recovering in the Bay in it's current state. In the meantime, encourage watermen to switch aquaculture. If, at the end of the moratorium, oysters are on a recovery path, allow very controlled and limited fishing.
It's long past time to put a ban on the harvest of wild oysters in Chesapeake Bay. Let them reproduce on their own for 5-10 years to find out if they are even still capable of recovering in the Bay in it's current state. In the meantime, encourage watermen to switch aquaculture. If, at the end of the moratorium, oysters are on a recovery path, allow very controlled and limited fishing.
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