Natural History Wanderings

The Sacramento Bee reported on the continuing conflict over  the Drake Bay Oyster Company seeking to extend its lease at Pt. Reyes. Point Reyes National Seashore covered by the Wilderness Act of 1964, which states that a federally protected wilderness as “retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation.” However, the oyster farm grows 500,000 pounds of non-native Pacific oysters in Pt. Reyes waters at Drakes Estero and uses motorboats to harvest them.  In addition to the noise from the boats, native eel grass has been covered, seal pups may be disturbed and plastic tubes used to cultivate the oysters wash up on Pt. Reyes’ beaches.

The original lease was granted four years before the Wilderness Act passed . This means that the lease should not be renewed and Drakes Estero  revert to the National Seashore. Unfortunately Senator Feinstein is supporting extending the lease. Read more at: Environmentalists fight Drakes Bay Oyster Co.’s bid to extend its National Park Service lease at Point Reyes National Seashore – California Watch – The Sacramento Bee.

Related articles

• Research Contradicts Pt. Reyes Oyster Company Claims (naturalhistorywanderings.com)