Gov. Jack Markell signed House Bill 160 to permit shellfish aquaculture in Delaware’s inland bays.
House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, sponsored the legislation following a review of the impact of shellfish aquaculture on the state.
It’s a huge day,” Sen. Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, a prime sponsor in that chamber. “What makes it even better is that it’s a job-creating bill that we haven’t seen much of in the last few years in the General Assembly.”
The Center for Inland Bays led a 14-month effort by a committee of experts and stakeholders to explore the potential of shellfish aquaculture and address the challenges of the project. Working together, they came to agreement on revisions to existing Delaware code and worked to draft proposals.
HB 160, authorizes DNREC to direct and control the shellfish aquaculture activities within the Inland Bays and to set criteria for the approval of lease sites and applications for leasing. In 2011, the shellfish aquaculture industry on the East Coast was valued at $119 million, with ten percent annual growth. Delaware, unlike other states on the eastern seaboard, has not developed a shellfish aquaculture industry.
A conservative estimate indicates shellfish aquaculture in the bays could see gross income of more than $2.5 million per year, with a total economic impact of more than $6 million by only using one percent of the total bottom area of the Inland Bays.
Schwartzkopf noted that oyster aquaculture would help greatly in filtering millions of gallons of water daily, removing excess nutrients from the bays.
“I have grown up around the Inland Bays, so I know how much of a treasured resource they are to our community and how big of a tourist attraction they are,” said Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach. “This is also a resource that can produce millions of dollars in unrealized potential. We have seen states up and down the East Coast benefit from shellfish aqua farming, and we have seen what works and what doesn’t.
“That’s the beauty of this venture – we aren’t moving into uncharted waters. It’s quite the opposite. This will create jobs, produce a local product for our restaurants and clean our Inland Bays. It will create a new multi-million dollar industry in Sussex County. When was the last time that happened?”
Using one percent of the total acreage of the inland bays for aquaculture could produce huge environmental dividends. Every day, an amount equivalent to nine to 22 percent of the total volume of water in the bays would be filtered by the shellfish and over 2,300 pounds of nutrients could be removed from the Bays based on a 3-year harvest cycle.
“Shellfish aquaculture is one such innovative approach, which will improve water quality and habitat of the inland bays, while at the same time create a new multi-million dollar industry of locally-grown food, bolstering oyster and clam production and producing new jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurs.” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “It was a pleasure to work with the Center for the Inland Bays’ Tiger team, Speaker Schwartzkopf and all of the legislators to pass legislation that will move the vision of a thriving shellfish aquaculture industry one step closer to reality in Delaware.”
Members of CIB’s Tiger team also included representatives Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Department of Agriculture, University of Delaware Sea Grant, Sussex County Economic Development, recreation interests, commercial clammers, shellfish aquaculture interests, the Delaware Shellfish Advisory Council, and the University of Maryland Extension Service.
“The Center is very pleased to have coordinated the work of the committee that laid the scientific and educational groundwork for this bill,” said CIB Executive Director Chris Bason. “Convening stakeholders to work together is central to our mission. I am grateful for all of the community participation and I think the bill truly reflects the hard work and careful deliberations of everyone on the team.”
