2/20/2024 0 Comments Hand dredging netSo-called “ oyster wars” have even broken out due to the decline of this vital harvest. They can also tear up vital underwater grass beds, which aquatic species depend on for food and habitat. The machines scrape away the reefs, leaving a damaged habitat for oysters to grow. By the start of the 20th century, the Chesapeake Bay oyster industry was one of the most important in the United States, churning out over 20 million oysters a year.īut as with anything, the dredging practice also has its drawbacks. With the ability to now use machinery to drag a large net over the floor of the Bay, the production and economic value of oysters sky-rocketed. When the practice of dredging for oysters was introduced to the Chesapeake region in the early 1800s, watermen were relieved to give up the hand tongs that they had generally been using to collect oysters. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) harvests oysters using a power dredge in the waters north of Deal Island, Md.
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