Md. Restaurants Plan Weeklong Celebration Of Local Seafood
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- "From the Bay for the Bay." It is a weeklong celebration of Maryland seafood benefiting the Oyster Recovery Partnership.
As Tim Williams explains, it's a chance for restaurants and patrons to eat up while giving back.
It's considered an excellent way to support local watermen while enjoying the best seafood the region has to offer.
"We're all very connected to the bay no matter where you live in the Maryland region," said Bryan Gomes, Oyster Recovery Partnership. "It's an important part of our life."
For that reason, "From the Bay for the Bay," a weeklong celebration, is currently underway.
It aids the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a nonprofit organization that works throughout the Mid-Atlantic to replenish the population of the Chesapeake Bay oyster.
"An adult oyster filters up to 50 gallons of water per day. They also create a great habitat for other animals in the bay, including the blue crab and the striped bass," Gomes said.
It's the third year for the Department of Natural Resources and its partners to sponsor the event. The goal is to highlight the state's delicacies, hardworking watermen and to support the bay's restoration.
The program seeds babies on the shells recycled from the restaurants. Each half shell can produce as many as 10 baby oysters in the bay.
From Oct. 5-12, restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the District of Columbia will all feature select seafood dishes. One dollar from each of those dishes will go toward replenishing the oyster population.
Ryleigh's on Cross Street is among the more than 120 restaurants participating.
"It not only helps oysters grow, but it also helps crabs and rockfish and everything. So it feels good, but it's an important thing to do," said Patrick Morrow, a chef at Ryliegh's.
For a link to participating restaurants and more information, click here.
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