Raising Oysters at Home for Home Use
Maryland allows dockowners to raise oysters for table use in floats under and adjacent to (within five feet) their piers. No permits are required and the oysters cannot be sold. Up to $500 per resident per year is offered in tax relief as an incentive. Aquaculture Oyster Float Credit
Oysters are filter feeders and are an important species in the Chesapeake Bay. Even if you do not eat oysters, growing them under your pier will help clean the nearby waters of sediments and algae, thus negating adverse impacts on the ecosystem.
Floats are easy to care for and several local suppliers will sell you the floats with baby oyster.
Float and seed suppliers:
Top of Page