Expanding aquaculture?
The state Department of Natural Resources is currently looking at a proposal to expand aquaculture in Maryland’s coastal bays. Aquaculture, meaning the “farming” of water organisms (in this case, mostly shellfish), is quite the hot topic lately. A lot of people are concerned that its environmental impact outweighs the possible benefits to the economy and local culture, hence the ongoing investigation by DNR.
One big advantage of aquaculture in the bays would be the chance to preserve the area’s unique “waterman” way of life. I’ve blogged here before, and will in the future, about the struggle to keep the tradition alive without further harming the Bay ecosystem. It’s a constant effort to balance the needs of the human community with the sustainability of the environment that makes our way of life possible in the first place. Controlled, sustainable aquaculture may be an answer to that puzzle. Maybe if we can “farm” crabs, clams and other local delicacies in a relatively low-impact way, it will become possible to maintain the industry without eventually running out of crabs, clams or other species.
To be honest, I’m not a scientist (just an amateur naturalist like my hero Gerald Durrell), and a lot of the controversy about aquaculture goes over my head. I’m working on understanding the science and the surrounding issues, though. Please keep an eye out for updates as I explain what’s being proposed, what the options are, and how the pros and cons weigh in.