Oyster farm cleanup puts Drakes Estero on way to marine wilderness

[petronius]

The once-bustling oyster farm and sales shack at the end of the dirt road had the look of sudden abandonment.

Doors and windows gaped open. Wind-chapped buildings were stripped of everything that was valuable or could be resold to other oyster operators. Inside, the commercial detritus of the former owner cluttered mud-caked floors: a shopping cart, fishing poles, plastic gloves, bottles of condiments, office chairs.

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It's the aftermath of a years-long legal battle between the oyster farmer and the National Park Service, which fought to reclaim and restore the bay. The park service prevailed — after spending millions of dollars in scores of lawsuits that ended at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The park is now undertaking an uncommon enterprise — returning a working landscape to its primitive state. It's expensive work that must be completed before the West Coast's first marine wilderness can be unveiled to the public.

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http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-wilderness-cleanup-20150125-story.html

[KamaAina]

1. Figures it'd be from the L.A. Times.

Their oysters have always been imported (from NorCal or Washington). Now most of ours will be, too. Oh well, at least Estero Bay will be wilderness again in another millennium or so.

[petronius]

2. I have pretty mixed feelings about this, really. I value wilderness and a healthy

productive marine ecosystem, and so much of our coastline is degraded and over-stressed. But at the same time, the human landscape is worth preserving, and a lot of our historical cultural content is being lost as well. When I think of my favorite parts of the CA coast, there is often a human component: ranches, dairies, oyster farms, fishing harbors, lighthouses, wrecks, local ports, and the like.

So I haven't researched far enough into this one to understand whether or not Estero Bay is critical enough to require a strict level of protection, but I like to think a sustainable balance could have been reached. (Plus, of course, fresh oysters are delicious...)

[Brother Buzz]

3. Drake's Bay Oyster Farm (was Johnson's oyster farm when I was a kid) was the grandaddy.....

of farmed oysters in California. Bummer to see it close, but I'm happy to know nearby Tomales Bay still has going concessions. Hog Island, possible the newest outfit on the bay, has become my go to oyster when Johnson's changed their name; loyalty can be fleeting.

[petronius]

4. Thanks for posting the map - in my mind I was picturing Tomales Bay

every time I read Drakes Bay (it's been a sad long while since I've been out there)...

[Brother Buzz]

5. It's actually a lousy map - they identify Drakes Estuary as Drakes Bay

The estuary proper is mostly blocked by sandbars is not a navigable body of water; the Golden Hinde would never have made it into the estuary so it was careened on the beach.