Oyster aquaculture operation at the mouth of Weems

[J.A. Veil]

I was on Weems Creek this morning for the first time since mid-November. As I reached the creek mouth and looked at the point to the left (just beyond all the old pilings), I saw a white pole with an orange flag on top and then a string of small white floats. This was very close to the shore in 1 to 1.5 ft depth. I paddled over and saw a series of large flat metal cages linked together. I had no idea what this was.
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I also saw two other white poles with orange flags farther away.

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I had a very helpful reply later in the day from Jesse Iliff, the Executive Director of the Severn River Association. He wrote "Regarding the cages, those are most likely aquaculture cages for the Annapolis Oyster Company. Homepage - Annapolis Oyster Company. If you visit their site and click "The Farm" along the top toolbar, you will see that their operation is at the mouth of Weems Creek. They have a validly issued lease to grow oysters there.

DNR's Aquaculture Siting Tool Aquaculture Siting Tool (state.md.us) lets you check out any areas of the state where you may kayak and see something that could be an aquaculture operation."

If you zoom in far enough on the DNR Aquaculture map referenced above, you can see that lease AA708 covers a large portion of the nearshore area between the Weems Creek mouth and the Rt 50 bridge (see image below).

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I have fished this area for more than a decade from my kayak. There are presently only a few cages out there, but I am concerned that the presence of many more oyster cages over time will impede navigation of boats and kayaks in the area and will likely preclude fishing there. I had never heard of the Annapolis Oyster Company before today. I am surprised that there was not more publicity about the operation and the location they chose.

[Red_Beard]

That is a very interesting development! I've never caught much along that particular stretch, but you're out there a heck of a lot more than I am. All I caught in that spot last year were a couple of cownose rays. With all the houses and boats up Weems Creek, I wouldn't be too concerned about this operation growing to the point of blocking access to the river. Permitting officials are generally very sensitive to those concerns because the last thing they want is the landowners in an uproar.

[Slobber Bob]

I'd see it as a positive that water quality is good enough in that area to conduct aquaculture. More oysters is never a bad thing. I'm sure you'll figure out how to fish around them.

[J.A. Veil]

Ironically, Weems Creek and some other nearby creeks are currently badly stained by algal blooms (red or mahogany tides). I smiled when I read the oyster company's website. They say their oyster farm (i.e., those cages) is in "nutrient rich waters". That is correct -- the water there often contains too much nutrients.

I do question putting oysters in an area with very shallow water and a huge amount of boat wakes that will create a lot of sedimentation there.

But as Slobber Bob Says, I will figure out how to fish around them.