I share the sentiments of U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin and Michael Roman, director of the Horn Point Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, in their op-ed, "Restoring hope in a half shell" (Nov. 5).
Oysters are one of Maryland's most iconic species, a status they have maintained for centuries. Historically, oysters supported vibrant local economies and were often the center of passionate debate (for example, the "Oyster Wars"). In the present day, the advent of disease combined with years of harvesting, pollution and habitat loss has resulted in a depleted population.
To give oysters a fighting chance, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been working overtime with partners to actively restore our oyster population. Working closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oyster Recovery Partnership, Horn Point Lab, the University of Maryland, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and commercial watermen, we led the completion of the largest, most comprehensive oyster restoration project in the world in Harris Creek.
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