Originally Posted by MathGeek
I have touched base with some folks at the LDWF office in Baton Rouge. It seems as if the Commission is likely to decide tomorrow what the oyster harvest regulations on Big Lake will be next year. If the decision is to be made tomorrow, it may be too late to submit comments by email after the meeting.
Therefore, I would recommend contacting Commission members today with your input regarding oystering. Some points to consider:
1. Damage to oyster reefs by dredging not only harms the future of the oyster fishery, but also harms the entire ecosystem and fishery.
2. Healthy oyster reefs provide essential ecosystem services including filtering of anthropogenic inputs, benthopelagic coupling, biological resistance to algae blooms and subsequent hypoxia, nursery areas for finfish, areas of concentrated benthos, and high quality habitat.
3. Over harvesting of oysters was a key factor in the decline of many fisheries along the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, including the Chesapeake Bay and Galveston Bay.
4. Scientists estimate that each 10 square meters of high quality oyster reefs produce an additional 2.6 kg/year of finfish and large crustaceans.
Some references:
Beck, M. W., R. D. Brumbaugh, L. Airoldi, A. Carranza, L. D. Coen, C. Crawford, O. Defeo, G. J. Edgar, B. Hancock, M. C. Kay, H. S. Lenihan, M. W. Luckenbach, C. L. Toropova, G. F. Zhang, and X. M. Guo. 2011. Oyster Reefs at Risk and Recommendations for Conservation, Restoration, and Management. Bioscience 61:107-116.
Beck, M. W., K. L. Heck, K. W. Able, D. L. Childers, D. B. Eggleston, B. M. Gillanders, B. Halpern, C. G. Hays, K. Hoshino, T. J. Minello, R. J. Orth, P. F. Sheridan, and M. R. Weinstein. 2001. The Identification, Conservation, and Management of Estuarine and Marine Nurseries for Fish and Invertebrates. Bioscience 51:633-641.
Coen, L. D. and R. E. Grizzle. 2007. The importance of habitat created by molluscan shellfish to managed species along the Atlantic coast of the United States. ASMFC Management Series #8.
Grabowski, J. H., and C. H. Peterson. 2007. Restoring Oyster Reefs To Recover Ecosystem Services, p. 281 – 298. In: Ecosystems Engineers: Plants to Protists. K. Cuddington, J. E. Byers, W. G. Wilson, and A. Hastings (eds.). Academic Press, Burlington, MA.
Henson, M. 1993. The History of Galveston Bay Resource Utilization. Webster, Texas.
Newell, R. I. E. 2004. Ecosystem Influences of Natural and Cultivated Populations of Suspension-Feeding Bivalve Molluscs: A Review. Journal of Shellfish Research 23:51-61.
Peterson, C. H., I. H. Grabowski, and S. P. Powers. (2003). Estimated Enhancement of Fish Production Resulting from Restoring Oyster Reef Habitat: Quantitative Valuation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 264:249-264.
Plunket, J. T. 2003. A Comparison Of Finfish Assemblages on Subtidal Oyster Shell (Clutched Oyster Lease) and Mud Bottom in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. LSU Thesis. HYPERLINK "http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0626103-163535/unrestricted/Plunket_thesis.pdf"
Plunket, J. and M. K. La Peyre. 2005. Oyster Beds as Fish and Macroinvertebrate Habitat in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Bulletin of Marine Science 77:155-164.
Rothschild, B. J., J. S. Ault, P. Goulletquer, and M. Heral. 1994. Decline of the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Population - A Century of Habitat Destruction and Overfishing. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 111:29-39.
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