Maryland's oyster season extended for watermen impacted by frozen waters

Maryland's oyster season has been extended to help the watermen who have been impacted by ice-covered waterways, the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced.

DNR pushed the state's commercial oyster season back two weeks, to April 14. The gear restrictions and bushel limits will remain the same through the extension.

Commercial oyster season in Maryland runs from October through the end of March.

"Maryland's watermen have faced a difficult oyster season after recent declines in market demand and ice on waterways blocked access to traditional harvest areas," DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz said. "This oyster season extension will give them additional opportunities to boost their livelihoods and the local communities where they live."

DNR says the health of the oyster population is at its best in more than two decades. Officials said there have been more than 7.6 billion adult oysters in Maryland waters since a low of 2.4 billion oysters in 2005.

Struggles for watermen

Earlier this month, WJZ reported that watermen were losing money because parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed were frozen over.

Watermen told WJZ that conditions during oyster season have not been this bad for a long time.

"Us watermen can't get out and go to work and we've got bills to pay," waterman John Clopine said.

Watermen said the frozen waters has been a strain for them financially because they were unable to work for weeks.

"You can't make money; you can't pay bills. We're not getting any oysters to the market," waterman Tyrone Meredith said.

Extension request answered

DNR answered the request of watermen who pleaded for an extension.

"The season ends at the end of March so hopefully we can get two more weeks in April. That would help us out," Meredith said.

"For us watermen to make up what we lost," Clopine said. "Because we've got bills to pay and we can't go out and work."

Push for emergency relief

Maryland congressman Andy Harris recently sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) asking for an economic fishery disaster declaration, which could open the door to emergency relief for Maryland oystermen under federal law.

Harris said severe weather, reduced market access and competition left many crews able to fish only one or two days all season.

NOAA has not yet announced whether it will approve that disaster request.