Decline of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population: a century of habitat destruction and overfishing

The oyster population in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay, USA, has declined by more than 50-fold since the early part of this century. The paper presents evidence that the mechanical destruction of habitat and stock overfishing have been important factors in the decline, even though it is commonly thought that 'water quality' and, more recently, oyster diseases are critical. Quantitative analyses show that the long-term decline of oysters largely results from habitat loss associated with intense fishing pressure early in this century, and stock overfishing from early in the century through recent times. Furthermore, the major ecological effects on Chesapeake Bay occurred well before World War II, before industrialization and the reported prevalence of disease. To effect the recovery of the ailing Chesapeake Bay oyster stock, a 4-point management strategy is proposed.