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SMAC backs 2026 oyster replenishment plan, with committee additions
Summary
The Shellfish Management Advisory Committee reviewed the draft 2026 oyster replenishment plan and recommended endorsement with member-suggested additions, including targeted shell plantings and selective seed moves; staff will present the package to the Commission after incorporating feedback.
The Shellfish Management Advisory Committee recommended endorsement of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's draft 2026 oyster replenishment plan during its Jan. 29 meeting. Andrew, the Shellfish Management Division presenter, briefed members on the plan, saying staff based recommendations on the annual PATENTON/VIMS survey and that public harvest remains near a long-term average of about 250,000 bushels.
Committee discussion focused on how to allocate roughly $4 million in available funding; Andrew summarized the current funding picture as "So that $4,000,000 has been pretty consistent," and said roughly $2.5 million is targeted to replenishment while $1.5 million is for restoration. Members debated directing some proposed seed money into additional shell planting in areas identified as highest need.
A member moved that SMAC "endorse the proposed replenishment plan" with the additions suggested during the discussion; the motion was seconded and recorded in the minutes. Staff summarized the agreed items as: limited seed moves (targeted hand-tong areas such as Big Bar), reallocation of some seed funds into shell for Muddy Marsh and Dogfish, and inclusion of additional small shell plants in areas like Mill Creek and Fleet. Andrew told the committee he would incorporate those changes before presenting the plan to the Commission.
Next steps: staff will finalize the replenishment plan language and procurement details and provide the updated packet to the Commission; the committee also requested follow-up information on shell availability and detailed cost estimates before implementation.
