WATERMEN AND FARMERS: THE PLACE OF TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN IN MARYLAND OYSTER AQUACULTURE

 
Adriane Michaelis*, Don Webster, and L. Jen Shaffer.
 
University of Maryland
Department of Anthropology
1111 Woods Hall
4302 Chapel Lane
College Park, MD 20742
amichael@umd.edu
 

Maryland's commercial aquaculture industry continues to grow as more individuals become involved in leasing areas of public waters and farming shellfish.  As part of an ongoing project, we are learning to better understand "who" is getting involved in Maryland oyster aquaculture, and in particular, to what extent the state's commercial wild oyster harvesters, or watermen, are participating in the business.  Using an approach of participant observation and semi-structured interviews we have observed that, while watermen are moving towards oyster aquaculture, their motivations for doing so, level of involvement, perceived success, and attitudes toward aquaculture vary individually.

Of these nuances, differences among level of involvement and how a waterman has incorporated aquaculture into his or her livelihood portfolio may be particularly relevant to the management of the state's public fisheries.  Thus far, most watermen involved in shellfish aquaculture have added it to an already diverse livelihood portfolio, and, for those who have used it to replace another income-generating activity, they rarely eliminated their involvement in the public oyster fishery.  Few watermen interviewed have shifted into aquaculture as their full-time, sole livelihood activity.

Perceived success is also important, as this opinion may influence others to adopt or reject aquaculture.  Several features of Maryland's oyster aquaculture industry may color watermen's perceptions of success.  The newness of the modern industry is one factor. Although oyster aquaculture has existed in Maryland for a century, 2009 legal and regulatory changes only recently made it a viable option for many.  As such, many watermen involved in aquaculture have held leases for fewer than five years and may not yet feel that they have made a return on their investment.  This runs counter to earning wages daily through their traditional work of harvesting public resources, including oysters, blue crabs, and other catch.  Related to perceived success, an additional theme involves the assumption that one must be well off in order to do well in aquaculture.  Accurate or not, this perception may keep watermen away.

Understanding the involvement of commercial watermen in Maryland shellfish aquaculture is important to better realize the direction of both Maryland's private and public oyster industries and provide more effective information for management.  This project will help detail what aspects of oyster aquaculture may deter watermen from participating in this fishery, and how to facilitate greater success for those already involved.