ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) planned numerous environmental protections for the Bay when designing, and constructing the Annapolis Adaptive Boating Center on Back Creek. Today, CRAB took this initiative to the next step by partnering with Chesapeake Bay Foundation to install an Oyster Garden in its fully accessible and state-of-the-art Arthur and Patricia Edwards Family Marina.
Oysters are an essential part of the Bay’s ecosystem. One oyster can clean up to 50 gallons of water per day. “CRAB is dedicated to safeguarding the largest estuary in the nation to ensure that future generations can enjoy its numerous benefits, including sailing, fishing, and boating,” commented CRAB Chairman Jim Nolan. He said, “These efforts fit within CRAB’s mission to ensure that our Chesapeake Bay can be enjoyed by everyone.”
Chesapeake Bay Foundation reported that in 2023, CBF’s more than 245 oyster gardeners grew 1,608,358 adult oysters, which were then planted on reefs from Baltimore to the southern Eastern Shore. “This is an incredible restoration project that CRAB is thrilled to be able to support. CBF informed us that the Bay’s oyster population is a small percentage of the historic population, so the importance of this initiative cannot be overstated,” said CRAB President Paul Bollinger.
Kellie Fiala, CBF’s Maryland Oyster Restoration Coordinator said “The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is excited to be working at the CRAB adaptive boating center as a member of our oyster gardening program. We know these oysters provide many benefits to the Bay like filtering water quality and supporting habitat for other species. Now CRAB guests and volunteers can see these oysters in action.”
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