Good news to report – the Maryland House of Delegates voted this week 102-39 to prohibit the altering of boundaries of oyster sanctuaries pending a stock assessment by the University of Maryland and an overall fishery plan for Maryland’s oysters. This is a veto-proof majority. The bill goes to the State Senate today for consideration. We expect the full Senate to hold a hearing on this bill on Tuesday or Wednesday next week and a floor vote could occur soon after.
It is important that we get a veto-proof majority in the Senate as well. The Governor has sided with industry and in spring 2014 he pledged to end the “war on watermen,” as he termed it, and to declassify sanctuaries.
Call Senator Steve Waugh
Ask him to support HB924 and our sanctuaries
410-841-3673
The Oyster Advisory Commission (OAC) meets again on Tuesday, March 21 at 6 P.M. at Calvery United Methodist Church in Annapolis. We urge you to attend that meeting where it is expected that opposing views will spar for their cause and others might try to form a compromise.