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Pallone Requests DEP Delay Decision to Shutdown Oyster
Restoration Project |
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Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., (NJ-06) Thursday wrote a letter to NJ Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin requesting that he delay an order to remove the shellfish beds by July 30 and work with the Baykeeper to find a mutually beneficial solution for the oyster restoration project.
While the FDA has found that inadequate patrols were maintained to properly ensure poachers cannot harvest and sell the oysters, the Baykeeper has maintained that their oysters would not reach markets and put at risk New Jersey’s shellfish industry. Since being notified of the potential shut down by DEP the Baykeeper has been working on options to increase patrols or relocate to an acceptable site.
“This has been a looming problem for several weeks, and now we’re at a crossroads,” said Pallone. “I would like to see a good faith effort from both the DEP and Baykeeper moving forward. Both parties need to work toward a solution that makes it easier to stop poachers from accessing these beds and continues the ongoing research with these oyster beds that also contribute to balancing the bay ecosystem. These research projects are making progress towards finding ways to clean up these waters so that some day they will open again to harvesting shellfish. I urge everyone’s cooperation moving forward.”
The text of the letter appears below.
July 29, 2010
Commissioner Bob Martin
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
401 E. State St.
7th Floor, East Wing
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
Dear Commissioner Martin:
I write you to express our support for the New York/New Jersey Baykeeper oyster restoration projects in waters off New Jersey. Oysters are a vital part of the ecological integrity of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary (HRE) and these restoration projects provide numerous benefits to the people of New Jersey.
Currently, the Baykeeper maintains two projects. One is located in the Navesink River in Red Bank and the second is located in the Raritan Bay in Keyport. Both of these projects consist of oyster reefs that are designed to clean and filter polluted waters. The projects provide a habitat for commercially and recreationally important fish including species that support the local economy such as striped bass and flounder.
I believe the illegal actions of a few should not be allowed to jeopardize the ecological integrity of some of our most important coastal waters. To endanger the proven success these programs have had would set a poor example for future initiatives. Oysters clean the ecosystem acting as natural water filters that would otherwise be costly to the state.
I urge you to work with the Baykeeper in finding a suitable alternative site for these oyster restoration projects if adequate patrols can not be supplied for the current locations. It is my understanding that DEP had previously suggested the Shrewsbury River as an alternate site and has since decided against such a move. I urge you to continue your work in finding a successful relocation site within the Hudson-Raritan Estuary.
Furthermore, I understand the timeliness of this issue and ask that DEP continue to allow the Baykeeper to maintain their oyster projects while a satisfactory relocation site is identified and secured.
I appreciate your consideration of our letter and your continued support of these important projects.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress
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