| Restoring Our Oyster. Cleaning Our Bay. Preserving Our Future. |
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Oysters are for Lovers!
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 Buy a Chesapeake Gold cookbook for your Valentine and support the Bay. Only $20 (plus shipping and handling), and proceeds from the sale of the cookbook go back into the Bay. Order your copy today!
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Chesapeake Bay Area CFC
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ORP is an approved charitable organization designated within the Chesapeake Bay Area Combined Federal Campaign. To designate your gift to the ORP, use code 91587 at cbacfc.org. |
| Sponsor Shell Recycling | |
 We're currently looking for a 2011 ORP Shell Recycling Alliance sponsor. Learn more today!
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ORP and Severn River Association Working Together
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ORP and the Severn River Association have a mutual interest in the Marylanders Grow Oysters program. As the sponsor of all MGO activities in the Severn River Watershed, the Severn River Association plays a critical role in the future of this vital watershed.
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| Meet Our Board Members |
Dale Wright served on the Board of Chesapeake Appreciation, Inc., in the early 1970's and was one of the few remaining members of that group when it became the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) in 1993. Dale continues to serve on ORP's Board, having been the Board Chairman 2004-2006. As he recently observed, "It is just amazing to see how the organization has developed from a few volunteers holding a once-a-year weekend of skipjack races at Sandy Point, to growing and planting hundreds of millions of baby oysters every year with a professional, full-time staff."
Dale's professional career began after his graduation from Ohio Wesleyan University. As a member of the AFROTC program, he was commissioned and placed on active duty with the USAF. Dale attended Accounting & Finance School and was sent on assignment as a Financial Services Officer on a Missouri SAC base. Leaving active duty in 1962, he returned to his wife's home town of Baltimore and entered the broadcasting industry, eventually rising to the position of President & General Manager of WMAR-TV.
In the late 1980's Dale made a career change and became a licensed Real Estate agent with Chase Fitzgerald & Co. in his Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore City. There, along with his wife Stephany, they raised 3 girls. Now adults, their children are living in other states which have given Stephany and Dale the time and resources to indulge their love of travel. Dale is also a long time aficionado of vintage British sports cars, especially those made by the Daimler Motor Car Company and serves on the executive committee of the US/Canadian Daimler & Lanchester Owners Club of North America.
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2010 Maryland Oyster Restoration: Meaningful Impact for the Chesapeake Bay
There were many notable achievements in 2010 for our Bay's Eastern oyster. Thanks to the efforts of thousands of Bay stewards and our partners, the positive impact of oyster restoration on a cleaner Bay was widespread. We are optimistic that the momentum we enjoyed in 2010, including the planting of nearly a half a billion baby oysters, continued low disease levels, and increased natural spat sets, will propel us forward in 2011. Nationally and locally, the renewed focus on Chesapeake Bay restoration is evidenced by President Obama's Executive Order 13508, which calls for restoring 20 tributaries in the Bay with oysters by 2025.
 2010 restoration results were unveiled at the Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, D.C. - one of dozens of the restaurants, caterers and seafood wholesalers participating in the ORP Shell Recycling Alliancewhich was launched in 2010. The inaugural year of the Alliance attracted more than 50 establishments in just 9 months across the MD, DC and VA regions. This initiative was able to collect nearly 4,000 bushels, 7% of our current shell needs. This will result in more than 20 million oysters being planted back into the Chesapeake Bay in the next year.
 Among the new partnerships and Alliance members, ORP welcomed seafood wholesaler JJ McDonnell & Co., who has single-handedly recruited and now collects used shell from more than a dozen restaurants in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Their volunteer participation in this program has been integral in allowing ORP to expand its shell collection efforts. With their support, ORP projects they can more than double efforts in 2011.
Through ORP's close collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Maryland Watermen's Association (MWA) and its other partners, along with the record involvement by citizen stewards, Maryland's oyster restoration capabilities are escalating. With the new oyster setting pier at the UMCES Horn Point hatchery in Cambridge, the State will soon have the capacity to produce between 1 and 2 billion oysters per year.
Looking ahead, we kick off our 2011 oyster restoration with the upcoming oyster shell rehabilitation projects. Watermen can apply now by downloading an application from our website at www.oysterrecovery.org. More information will be available soon on our website and our Facebook page.
Right around the corner is the Maryland Watermen's 37th East Coast Commercial Fishermen's and Aquaculture Trade Exposition. The Expo draws a diverse group including fishermen, charter captains, aquaculturists, scientists, and educators from the mid-Atlantic region. Sign up for the Expo to see aquaculture and commercial fishing seminars; charter boat and sports fishermen gear and equipment; workboats; and inshore/offshore equipment.
As always, thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you on the Bay!
--Stephan Abel, Executive Director, ORP
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ORP Joins Growing Global Movement to Help Keep the Earth Healthy
 ORP has been named a non-profit partner of 1% For The Planet. 1% FTP is an organization of 1,500 environmentally-minded businesses that contribute one percent of their sales to select non-profit groups, such as ORP, that are committed to creating a healthy planet.
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Q: How do oysters grow their shells? A: Oyster shells are made primarily of calcium carbonate. Oysters get the calcium carbonate from the water they live in. The oyster's mantle, which is a fold of its skin which covers its organs, deposits the calcium carbonate onto the outside of their bodies to form a protective shell. Oysters survive only in areas where salt and fresh water mix together, like the water found in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Oysters are born as free-swimming tiny microscopic organisms, which have shells as well. When they age, they find a hard surface (preferably another oyster shell) to attach and grow. Once they grow their shells, they remain in one place.
--Steven Allen, MSc, Sr. Manager, Aquatic Restoration Program, ORP
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The Maryland Watermen's Association is a charter partner with the Oyster Recovery Partnership, assisting in the State-wide effort to enhance and preserve the Chesapeake Bay oyster population since 1994. Formed in 1973, the group is dedicated to the interests of all who derive beauty and benefit from Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Waters. Representing all commercially-licensed watermen from Maryland, its Board of Directors is comprised of watermen from all Bay-bordering counties.
On January 28-30, 2011, the Maryland Watermen's Association presents the 37th East Coast Commercial Fishermen's and Aquaculture Trade Exposition at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.
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Out & About 
Ocean City is known for its Boardwalk, its world-class fishing, and now recycling too! Dubbed the "White Marlin Capital of the World", this popular beach destination holds a long history of recreational and commercial fishing, but now OC is also known for oyster shell recycling through ORP's Shell Recycling Alliance.
Stretching back to 1869, Ocean City's first beach-front cottage was built for paying guests to come and fish and enjoy the sandy beach. In 1875, the first major hotel in the town opened to accommodate visitors initially from Maryland's Eastern Shore, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Wilmington. With the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in the 1950's and 1960's, a grand new pathway to the south was opened, and Ocean City quickly became one of the largest vacation destinations on the eastern seaboard.
Today, Ocean City stretches for 10 miles and offers clean beaches, a range of accommodation choices, the Boardwalk shopping district and entertainment area, shopping centers, and residential communities.
Stop in at one of Oyster Recovery Partnership's Ocean City Shell Recycling Alliance partners listed below and support the oyster recycling initiative that is helping to restore our Bay.
The Bonfire, Ocean City
The Embers Restaurant, Ocean City
Fager's Island, Ocean City
Harrison's Harbor Watch, Ocean City
Higgins Crab House, Ocean City
Phillips Crab House, Ocean City
Reflections Restaurant, Ocean City
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 How many bushels of oyster shells were collected during the inaugural year of ORP's Shell Recycling Alliance? Here's a hint. Read the next issue of The Bay Restorer to learn the answer! a. 150 b. 400 c. 2,000 d. 4,000 Answer from last issue's question: Every recycled oyster shell can become home to an average of 10 new baby oysters.
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A Look Inside Oyster Recovery Partnership
Bryan Gomes is ORP's Manager of Special Projects, including the Shell Recycling Alliance (SRA) launched in 2010. With Bryan's coordination, the Alliance has grown to include more than 50 establishments across the region and continues throughout the year. And, all recycled oyster shells are being used to plant spat back into Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay! After realizing such a successful year for building public awareness about the need to recycle oyster shells, Bryan shared his thoughts on this challenging program and what it has meant for oyster restoration in 2010.
Q: What does it mean to you to play a role in helping to revitalize our Bay?
A: It is great to have the opportunity to be literally making a difference with every bin, bucket and can I collect knowing that it will yield an average of 10 new oysters per half shell to help restore and preserve the Bay! Being a native Marylander and growing up around the water makes it even more rewarding.
Q: What's the most challenging part of the oyster restoration process?
A: The physical logistics of the shell collection with all our participating establishments makes this a daunting task. Also, keeping in touch with all our partners, from ORP partners to the restaurants to our new J.J. McDonnell partnership (seafood wholesaler) is part of the challenge to keep the operation running smoothly.
Q: How has this year been for you with Oyster Recovery Partnership?
A: I started part time in January as ORP's shell collector. It has evolved into a full time position where I am now overseeing the Shell Recycling Alliance and Marylanders Grow Oysters programs. I enjoy spreading the word of the importance of the oyster to our Bay. It really is a keystone species that makes the rest of our Bay work in concert. Also, just seeing the numbers continue to jump up has been impressive. When this program officially launched 9 months ago we had 21 establishments. Today we have over 50 restaurants, caterers and seafood wholesalers in our SRA. Also the average weekly pickup has increased from about 20 bushels/week to now 53 bushels/week! I enjoy being part of this "wave of change" that is positively impacting the health of our Bay.
Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
A: Being part of the big picture and seeing the Shell Recycling Alliance really take off. I enjoy sharing the recycling story with establishments when recruiting them to be part of SRA. Once they hear about the initiative, how important it is to the Bay and how easy it is for them to be part of it, they are excited to be on board. Every time that happens, that is my next biggest accomplishment.
Q: Any final thoughts on what makes ORP such an important part of Bay restoration?
A: Technically, it's the oysters that are doing the work of restoring our Bay and making a difference in its health and productivity. However, it's my personal interaction with the public, informing and educating them on the problem and how they can contribute to the solution that brings it all together. Being part of this process is something I hold in high regard! It is very rewarding to help people "connect the dots" with their impact on our environment, in particular our Bay. Generating a greater public awareness is a link that connects the public to the Bay and allows them to make positive choices to preserve our future. This will allow many generations to enjoy our waterways and harvest its natural resources in a environmentally-friendly and sustainable way.
A little more about Bryan....Bryan brings 14 years of environmental education and public outreach experience to ORP. He has a B.A. in Marketing/Psychology and a MEd. in Post Secondary Education from Salisbury University. Bryan is passionate about the outdoors. He has thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and as a lifeguard lived in a tent on the beach at Assateague State Park. Bryan has also served as a Park Ranger for Anne Arundel County and the Maryland Park Service, as well as a Director/Coordinator of various summer camps in the Annapolis area. Bryan loves to travel and spent two months in New Zealand learning about aquaculture and sustainable resource management this past year. Bryan lives on the water in Annapolis and enjoys swimming, biking, paddling, playing ice hockey and moonlighting as a DJ.
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About the Oyster Recovery Partnership | |
Restoring Our Oyster. Cleaning Our Bay. Preserving Our Future.This is the mission of the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) -- a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Annapolis, MD. ORP actively promotes, supports and restores oysters for ecologic and economic purposes. We engage in numerous Chesapeake Bay-related projects by conducting science-based "in-the-water" and "on-the-land" recovery efforts, while conducting public outreach and education in our quest to protect our environment, our heritage, and our knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay, its marshes and rivers, and the life that it sustains.
A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request by contacting the Oyster Recovery Partnership, Inc. at 1805A Virginia Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401 or 410.990.4970. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage. Oyster Recovery Partnership, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization -- donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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