From Laurie Sorabella:

Dear Lynnhaven River NOW members,

Everyone is looking at the Lynnhaven River’s recovering native oyster population with tremendous excitement.

Over the last 10 years, thousands of students and citizens have worked together with non-profits and governmental organizations to build oyster reefs in the Lynnhaven and to stock millions of reproductive oysters to the reefs.  These community-raised oysters reproduce in the river, thus their babies also contribute to the Lynnhaven’s impressive developing oyster population.  After only a decade of restoration activities, I am delighted to be able to report that all of this effort is working!  Ten years ago, the Lynnhaven’s oyster population was estimated to be at about 1% of historic abundance, and recent calculations estimate that we may have already increased the Lynnhaven’s population to as much as 10% of historic abundance.  That is a 10-fold increase in 10 years.

But today, there is a major threat to our burgeoning Lynnhaven River oyster population.

There is a heated debate underway right now with some parties favoring the introduction of a non-native oyster species to Chesapeake Bay waters.  The Suminoe oyster, Crassostrea ariakensis, is the oyster species under consideration.  If this asian oyster species is introduced into Chesapeake Bay and invades the Lynnhaven River (a likely scenario if the oyster is introduced), the asian oysters will surely hinder the restoration of our native oysters because the Suminoe oyster interferes with native oyster reproduction, undermining the laudable oyster restoration progress in the Lynnhaven.  In addition to jeopardizing our native oyster restoration efforts, the Suminoe oyster harbors human pathogens moreso than our native oyster, posing more risk for human consumption, and the Suminoe oyster may cause increased oyster disease risks to our existing native oysters.  For these, and several additional reasons, Lynnhaven River NOW, together with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Oyster Reef Keepers of Virginia, and all of the nearby Mid-Atlantic states are saying “no” to introducing Crassostrea ariakensis to the Cheapeake Bay.

Please let the Army Corps of Engineers know that you oppose introducing Crassostrea ariakensis to the Cheapeake Bay.

You can make your position known by attending one of 2 upcoming public meetings or you can send a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers voicing your position.  Public meeting information is as follows:

    1.    Friday, November 7, 2008 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
    Virginia Marine Resources Commission main office, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Va. 23607
    2.    Monday, November 10, 2008 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
    Nandua High School, 26350 Lankford Highway, Onley, Va. 23418 (Eastern Shore)

If you would prefer to send a letter, you can write one of your own and send it to the address below, or you can check your e-mail in the next few days because Lynnhaven River NOW will be circulating a sample letter for you to work from.  Comments may be submitted through December 15, 2008 and mailed to:
          Department of the Army
          Norfolk District, Corps of Engineers
          Attn: Mr. Mark Mansfield
          Chief, Planning and Policy Branch
          803 Front Street , Norfolk, Virginia 23510-1096
or e-mailed to: Mark.T.Mansfield@usace.army.mil
Comments should reference the Draft PEIS. For more information visit http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/OysterEIS/homepage.asp