Virginia reopens Lynnhaven oyster grounds

[LuckyLady]

Virginia reopens Lynnhaven oyster grounds

By Scott Harper
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 3, 2011
VIRGINIA BEACH

Environmentalists celebrated a milestone Wednesday in their efforts to restore the Lynnhaven River:

For the first time in a half-century, more than 40 percent of the city's largest river will be open to unrestricted oyster and clam harvesting.

"A few years ago, no one thought this was possible," said Karen Forget, executive director of Lynnhaven River Now, an environmental group. "We're very excited to have come this far."

The celebration stems from a decision announced Wednesday by the state Department of Health to open almost all of the shellfish grounds that it had closed just four months ago because of elevated bacteria levels.

Bacteria - from animal and pet wastes, from raw sewage overflows - can be ingested by shellfish and make people sick if eaten.

But because the pollution levels were so close to being safe months ago, the department opted to review new sampling data. It found that conditions were again clean enough to allow unrestricted clamming and oystering in those affected areas, mostly the Eastern Branch of the Lynnhaven, explained Keith Skiles, shellfish classification chief for the health department.

The changes take effect March 11, good news to the handful of watermen and oyster farmers who work in those waters and had been shut down by the department order in November.

By reopening these grounds, more than 2,007 acres of the Lynnhaven can be freely harvested for shellfish - or 41.6 percent of the entire watershed, according to health department statistics.

About 2,817 acres remain condemned because of high bacteria counts.

But less than a decade ago, there was virtually no unrestricted fishing for renowned Lynnhaven oysters, whose size and salty tang once made them coveted throughout the world.

Rapid shoreline development in Virginia Beach in the 1960s and '70s is often blamed for the devastation to the Lynnhaven oyster industry, with too many sewage spills and pet wastes damaging water quality.

The city has joined hands with Lynnhaven River Now to educate pet owners about picking up pet wastes, reducing fertilizers and fixing sewage systems to the benefit of the river and its rebounding oyster stocks.

"For years, the Lynnhaven wasn't even close" to complying with clean-water standards, Skiles said. "But now, you see some pretty significant changes when compared to bacteria levels in other rivers around the state. It's impressive what's happened there."

Broad Bay continues to be the cleanest and most active spot for oystering in the Lynnhaven, mostly because First Landing State Park provides a natural buffer against manmade pollutants.

Not surprisingly, then, the health department opened another 112 acres in Broad Bay and Linkhorn Bay just to the south as part of its data re-evaluation announced Wednesday.

A section of Crab Creek, near the Lesner Bridge, also got a reprieve and will be reopened next week, as well as more than 300 acres on the Eastern Branch, according to department findings.

Officials and environmentalists said it has been at least 50 years since so much of the Lynnhaven has been opened to shellfish oystering.