Eat up! Maryland's oyster population has grown significantly, study shows

Maryland's oyster population booms

Maryland’s oyster population has grown significantly over the past 20 years, according to the results of a new study. A few different factors help explain the increase. FOX 5's Josh Rosenthal has more.

MARYLAND - Maryland’s oyster population is making a comeback, according to the results of a new study.

What we know:

Maryland’s oyster population has grown significantly in the past two decades, according to the results of the latest benchmark stock assessment for the species, which is required by state law to be conducted every six years.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science released the summary results of the assessment Monday, with the full report due out in June.

According to the assessment, an estimated 12 billion oysters lived in Maryland’s waters of the Chesapeake Bay in 2024. That included about 7.6 billion adult oysters, which is more than three times the 2.4 billion adult oysters thought to have been living in the bay in 2005.

What they're saying:

"Prior to the early 2000’s, people were really ready to write off oyster recovery in large parts of the Chesapeake Bay, largely because of how bad disease was for the population," explained University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Professor Mike Wilberg, who led the assessment.

Wilberg said that reasons for the increase include less disease among the oyster population, that there have been more baby oysters in recent years, and that restrictions on harvesting have helped.

"The really short answer is I think we’re on a good track with where the population is going right now," Wilberg added.

Maryland Waterman’s Association President Robert T. Brown also weighed in, telling Fox 5 in a statement: "We are glad to see the oyster population rebound and replenish to become a sustainable fishery. Due to commercial watermen reduced quotas it’s paid off. We look forward to future increases as long as Mother Nature works with us."