ANNAPOLIS — Watermen and commercial shuckers who sell fresh oyster shells and/or transport and plant fresh oyster shells as part of the Maryland Department of Natural Resource’s restoration and replenishment programs are now being compensated more than before.

Effective March 18 DNR announced the maximum price the department will pay to purchase fresh oyster shell from oysters harvested and sold within Maryland and the maximum price the department will pay to haul and plant fresh shell harvested and sold either in Maryland or another state. The arrangement is:

Shell:

• $4.50 per bushel if DNR staff load and truck the shell.
• $5.00 per bushel if shell owner loads into DNR trucks or onto planting vessels.
• $5.50 per bushel if shell owner loads and trucks the shell to DNR designated
  location.

Hauling and planting:

• $2.40 per bushel up to 20 nautical miles
• $2.45 per bushel 21-40 nautical miles
• $2.50 per bushel 41-59 nautical miles
• $2.55 per bushel for 60 nautical miles or greater

The Code of Maryland Regulations 08.02.04.11 has been updated to require the department to set the maximum price the department will pay for a bushel of fresh shells from oysters harvested and sold within Maryland as the fair market price via a public notice.

The regulation also requires the department to set the maximum price the department will pay to transport and plant fresh shells by public notice. The department will review the maximum shell purchase price and the transport/plant price annually prior to the start of each planting season and set these prices at that time.

Last year any person who hauled and planted shell was paid 25 cents per bushel and the rate for a bushel was $2 for a total of $2.25. The actual cost in 2022 to purchase out-of-state shell, transport and plant was $7.25 per bushel and Maryland shucking houses as a result were not selling fresh shells to DNR.

By paying a competitive fee based on current market conditions, DNR anticipated that “more Maryland shucking houses may be willing to sell to the department, thereby allowing the department more access to shells.”

Shell planting has been a part of Maryland’s oyster restoration efforts for some 60 years.