John Bacon- Town of Chesapeake Beach Heather Chesapeake Bay Foundation Elle O’Brien- Midshore Riverkeeper Eric Conrad- Oyster Recovery Partnership Patrick Chesapeake Bay Foundation Kara Skipper- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Jana Davis- Chesapeake Bay Trust Wetzel- Chesapeake Bay Trust Slattery- Department of Natural Resources James Dumhart-Piney Point Hatchery Executive Summary The Chesapeake Bay's oyster population has dwindled to just 1 percent of historic levels, as overharvesting, habitat loss and disease have taken their toll. As it stands, oysters currently in the Bay are not creating enough offspring to support full population recovery. There are current efforts such as the Marylanders Grow Oysters program that steer the oyster population back in the right direction. Solutions Maryland county schools can partner with environmental organizations to immerse schoolchildren in an environmental science curriculum. Broadening partnerships between MGO and Maryland county schools by creating an
John Bacon- Town of Chesapeake Beach Heather Chesapeake Bay Foundation Elle O’Brien- Midshore Riverkeeper Eric Conrad- Oyster Recovery Partnership Patrick Chesapeake Bay Foundation Kara Skipper- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Jana Davis- Chesapeake Bay Trust Wetzel- Chesapeake Bay Trust Slattery- Department of Natural Resources James Dumhart-Piney Point Hatchery Executive Summary The Chesapeake Bay's oyster population has dwindled to just 1 percent of historic levels, as overharvesting, habitat loss and disease have taken their toll. As it stands, oysters currently in the Bay are not creating enough offspring to support full population recovery. There are current efforts such as the Marylanders Grow Oysters program that steer the oyster population back in the right direction. Solutions Maryland county schools can partner with environmental organizations to immerse schoolchildren in an environmental science curriculum. Broadening partnerships between MGO and Maryland county schools by creating an