Asian Oyster Under Scrutiny for Cheseapeake Bay

State and federal agencies, including NOAA, will study a proposal to introduce a non-native oyster from Asia to the Chesapeake Bay. This study will investigate the effects that this species may have on the bay’s ecosystem and its oyster industry. Some concerns of introducing the Asian oyster are its ability to successfully reproduce in the bay’s environment, exposing native species to new diseases, and competition with the native Eastern oyster. The decline of the Eastern oyster, which is attributed to over-harvesting, poor water quality, and disease spurred the proposal by the states of Maryland and Virginia to introduce the Asian oyster. Large-scale efforts to restore the native oyster are still in the early stages, and are showing mixed results.