Chesapeake Bay aquaculture presents as many opportunities as challenges, seafood leaders say
Jumping in on the oyster gold rush might seem like a quick way to make a buck, but area aquaculture leaders say creating a viable aquaculture business in the Chesapeake Bay is tougher than it looks.
There's plenty of room for new players in Maryland's aquaculture industry, and part of the National Aquarium's East Coast Seafood Forum on Monday highlighted advancements in aquaculture technology that will help the field expand. But there are also a number of challenges associated with growing fish and shellfish.
Oysters have been one area where local watermen have seen success in growing and creating sustainable aquaculture businesses. Hooper’s Island Oyster Aquaculture Co. is one such company that's figured out the oyster equation, and one that co-founder John Shockley said can serve as a model for other fisheries.
Shockley spent his life as a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay, and he helped found the oyster farm after realizing watermen needed to rethink their harvesting methods.
“We could not rebuild the house from the roof down,” Shockley said. “We have to figure out how to start over again.”