Natural History Wanderings

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Drakes Bay Oyster company lost an appeal to a federal judge challenging  the Interior Secretary’s decision to end their lease. The court ruled that the Secretary of the Interior has complete discretion to end the lease. The ruling was strongly supported by conservation groups including the National Parks Conservation Association.

The oyster farm had been criticized for he Oyster farm growing 500,000 pounds of non-native oysters, damaging native eel grass and may have been disturbing seal pups. Drakes Bay Oyster Company also recently had a “cease and desist”  proposed against them due to repeated coastal act violations.

Read more at:  Court: OK to end oyster company lease – SFGate.

Previous articles on the Drakes Bay Oyster Company  and Marine Wilderness:

• Oyster Company Violations Lead To Cease & Desist Order
• Oyster Farm To Become Marine Wilderness
• Good News For Marine Wilderness: Bad News For Oyster Farm
• Conflict Continues Over Oyster Co. Lease At Point Reyes
• Research Contradicts Pt. Reyes Oyster Company Claims