Comments on: Oysters on the Comeback in Chesapeake Bay, Thanks to Elevated Homes http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/ 80beats is DISCOVER's news aggregator, weaving together the choicest tidbits from the best articles covering the day\'s most compelling topics. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:31:36 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tony Novak http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/comment-page-1/#comment-40474 Tony Novak Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:44:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/#comment-40474 PS. Just for clarity; someone pointed out confusion caused by the title of this article. The "homes" refers to the oyster's manmade habitat - the two foot high reefs - not human homes. There is no connection between oyster recovery and elevated human homes on the bay. PS. Just for clarity; someone pointed out confusion caused by the title of this article. The “homes” refers to the oyster’s manmade habitat – the two foot high reefs – not human homes. There is no connection between oyster recovery and elevated human homes on the bay.

]]> By: Tony Novak http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/comment-page-1/#comment-40473 Tony Novak Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:38:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/#comment-40473 We need to consider oyster restoration as a worthy and necessary environmental cause seperately from its commercial value. Too often we confuse the discussion and allow oyster policy to be determined by short term return to the commercial oystering industry. It is time for the public to put its weight behind the much larger issues. We need to consider oyster restoration as a worthy and necessary environmental cause seperately from its commercial value. Too often we confuse the discussion and allow oyster policy to be determined by short term return to the commercial oystering industry. It is time for the public to put its weight behind the much larger issues.

]]> By: Brian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/comment-page-1/#comment-40442 Brian Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:19:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/03/oysters-on-the-comeback-in-chesapeake-bay-thanks-to-elevated-homes/#comment-40442 One has to think that this is a step forward, in spite of Jasinki's reservations. We have to give filter feeders a chance. Large scale farming causes over fertilization of the waterways draining those areas. Then massive algal blooms take place and overwhelm the filter feeders in the area. The death of those huge algal blooms then creates the dead zones which wipe out all the higher life forms that depend on oxygen. If we cannot control the land based farmers (which has been a losing cause to date), then the answer must lie in the filter feeders in the drainage basins. Reestablish them in quantity and maybe we can make the river estuaries healthy again. Besides, most people like a good oyster, or shrimp, or clam bake. In this case a healthy environment leads to good eating! One has to think that this is a step forward, in spite of Jasinki’s reservations.

We have to give filter feeders a chance. Large scale farming causes over fertilization of the waterways draining those areas. Then massive algal blooms take place and overwhelm the filter feeders in the area. The death of those huge algal blooms then creates the dead zones which wipe out all the higher life forms that depend on oxygen.

If we cannot control the land based farmers (which has been a losing cause to date), then the answer must lie in the filter feeders in the drainage basins. Reestablish them in quantity and maybe we can make the river estuaries healthy again.

Besides, most people like a good oyster, or shrimp, or clam bake. In this case a healthy environment leads to good eating!

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