The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is expected to vote in January to create 15 Aquaculture Opportunity Zones to expand shellfish farming in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
These zones would set aside more than 1,000 acres of prime state-owned water bottoms for the farming of oysters and clams in cages. The zones are around Tangier Island, in the Rappahannock River and in the tributaries of Mobjack Bay, just north of the York River. Roughly half of the total acreage is near Tangier.
Maryland also established oyster aquaculture zones this fall.
VMRC staff chose the sites after an extensive review. The sites are on hard bottom, in clean, shallow, sheltered waters that are within reasonable distance of off-loading sites. They do not infringe on the public Baylor Grounds or any privately leased oyster grounds.
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