Big numbers for his year’s oyster harvest and 300 new watermen on the Chesapeake Bay means state rationing of oyster tags to prevent them from completely running out.
The agency issues the tags at the beginning of the season in October based on the number a waterman used the previous season.
Those with no history get 200 tags.
The Salisbury Daily Times reports that Mike Naylor, director of the shellfish program for the Department of Natural Resources, says that when the harvest began getting bettermore people signed up.
The rationing has led to legislative action in Annapolis.
A measure has been co-sponsored by Eastern shore Delegates Rudy Cane (D-Wicomico) and Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio (R-Talbot).
It would require the DNR to issue at least 30 day’s worth of oyster tags whenever a waterman goes to a service center.
