Skipjacks, oysters: The fight for survival of two Chesapeake Bay icons
Starting Sunday, oyster enthusiasts will once again be free to pick up their rakes and tongs and harvest Maryland’s signature shellfish delicacy from the floor of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.A month after the season begins, commercial oyster fisherman will take to the water to get their own haul. But one boat will stand out among from the rest: the skipjack, a nimble oyster-dredging sailboat that represents the state’s long maritime tradition. “The oysters are looking better. I’m optimistic,” said Shawn Ridgley, a veteran oysterman and skipjack captain who currently gathers data for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. A typical skipjack carries a crew of five and can legally harvest 100 bushels of oysters a day. Lately, “boats are catching their limit by 10:00, 10:30 in the morning,” Ridgley said. >>click to read<< 14:05
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