Mkhall Halmtnski Michael Halmmski 



state's leading commercial fishery. And again, there is an 

 emphasis on teaming crabbers with academics. 



Even in tight financial times, Basnight sees a need to learn 

 more about the blue crab fishery in North Carolina, especially 

 as Chesapeake Bay stocks have declined markedly. "How do 

 you find out unless you do the research?" Basnight asks. 



And when it comes to fishery research, Basnight sees 

 additional needs. 



Encouraging Oysters 



"We've got to do something on oysters," Basnight says. 

 "The biggest dream I have is to put oysters back into the 

 estuaries of North Carolina — like they were before." 



In the early 1900s, North Carolina was known for its oyster 

 harvests. Now, more than 90 percent of the oysters sold or 

 shucked here come from the Gulf of Mexico, according to the 

 N.C. Shellfish Sanitation Section. 



For communities that still have oyster festivals, that means 

 most of the oysters served are not local. Many areas of coastal 

 waters are closed to shellfish harvesting because of pollution. 



Initial steps could include creating new oyster reefs with 

 wetland mitigation funding from state transportation projects in 

 the coastal area, Basnight suggests. Or efforts may be funded 

 with federal grants, such as an oyster reef project at Nags Head 

 Woods. 



The value of oyster reef restoration is three-fold, Basnight 

 explains. Oysters filter water, thus enhancing water quality in 



the vicinity of the new reefs. The reefs also provide habitat 

 areas for important commercial and recreational fish species. 

 And eventually, the oysters may become stew, fritters or a 

 steamed delicacy. 



"Imagine what we could do," he says, looking out a 

 window in his restaurant, across the Roanoke Sound to 

 Shallowbag Bay and the town of Manteo. "When I grew up, 

 you'd catch all you could. Now there aren't any in that bay that 

 I grew up on — and I am only 54 years old." 



Oysters are not a new topic for Basnight, who was a force 

 behind the formation of the N.C. Blue Ribbon Advisory Council 

 on Oysters. The 19-member council — which included 

 commercial harvesters, mariculturists, biologists, market 

 specialists, processors, fishery scientists and social scientists — 

 offered a report in October 1995. 



The council's major recommendations included efforts to 

 encourage mariculture by revising some laws and procedures, 

 as well as efforts to restore or protect existing reefs. Other 

 efforts would be to protect water quality, to provide environ- 

 ments where oysters could be harvested for consumption, and 

 to support an industry-based seafood council to increase 

 consumer demand for oysters and other seafood. 



Basnight's vision includes communities being able to market 

 oysters in terms of distinct flavors and products. "We must reverse 

 the decline," he says of the current status of oyster stocks. 



"We are going to have to accelerate these efforts," Basnight 

 says. "We are not doing nearly enough." ^ 



COASTWATCH 15 



