THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 21, 1996 TAG: 9610180018
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 27 lines
I am writing to express outrage at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's decision to reopen yet another section of the Chesapeake Bay, namely Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, to oyster dredging.
The decision will have only a minimal, short-term economic benefit to a very few watermen and dash the hope for long-term economic and environmental benefit. These oysters are only about 5 years old and show strong resistance to disease; allowing them to reproduce and pass on this disease resistance to future generations will benefit the watermen more than anyone. There is unanimous agreement among scientists that the only hope for future harvests in Tangier and Pocomoke sounds is to leave the remaining oysters alone.
Perhaps the most infuriating aspect of the decision is that it was made against the expert advice of scientists employed by the VMRC. Why waste the taxpayers' money on employing experts whose advice is ignored? Not to mention the additional $350,000 of taxpayers' money spent annually to restore the oyster beds, only to destroy the hope of recovery by allowing the destruction of the few healthy oysters that exist.
MICHELLE LABORDE
Virginia Beach, Oct. 7, 1996 by CNB