The Battle over the Drakes Bay Oyster Company at Pt. Reyes continues. Backed by a rather unusual alliance of conservative political groups and the parts of the gourmet food community, the oyster farm is staging a legal battle against the Department of Interior's decision to not renew its lease and to create a marine wilderness area. There has been much controversy around the Oyster Farm. See excerpts from previous Natural History Wanderings posts:
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 the 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.
The decision by the Department of the Interior to create a wilderness off of Pt. Reyes is far from a done deal. Earlier this week the LA Times reported that Tea party activists, Cause of Action, a conservative watchdog group connected to the Koch brothers and other groups were supporting Drakes Bay Oyster Farm’s fight to continue operation. Although the Department of Interior had not extended their lease, the farm owners have continued to oppose this decision. There has been much controversy including
- the seeming never acceptance by the Oyster Farm that their lease would end by the farm
- sometimes inaccurate science by the park service
- The Coastal Commission earlier this month issued its second cease-and-desist order to the farm for serious violations.
- support for the farm from Senator Feinstein, who is usually pro-environment
Feds file legal brief in Marin County oyster farm case – latimes.com
Public Land Battle Over Drakes Bay Oyster Draws Unlikely Allies – NYTimes.com
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