Rub-a-dub-dub, 3 watermen in a tub of oysters

WICOMICO RIVER  – Those working the water know the rules regarding the harvesting of oysters.  The first rule is that there ain’t many of them.  The second rule is that millions have been spend on scientists to figure out what happened to all the oysters but the scientists used the money to buy up all the real estate on Solomon’s Island for the Chesapeake Bio Lab to have even more offices. 

But the scientists still haven’t produced any more oysters or crabs, in fact, since the lab was created, there are less crab and oysters than ever, perhaps because the scientists have been eating them.

Due to the low number of crabs and oysters, the rules on when the watermen can catch them are very strict.

NRP police spokesman Sgt. Ken Turner reports that on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 9:15 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged three men with harvesting oysters illegally on the Wicomico River near Indiantown.
Robert L. Copsey, 39, John S. Evens, 44, and James P. Nelson, 32, all of Mechanicsville were charged after NRP observed the three power dredging oysters just north of Chaptico Bay in a restricted area reserved for hand tonging.

Officers seized as evidence 17 bushels of oysters which were returned to the waters of the State.
A court date of Jan. 16, 2009 has been scheduled for the three individuals in St. Mary’s County District Court.         
The commercial oyster season for power dredge runs through March 31 in designated areas of Calvert, Dorchester, Somerset, St. Mary's and Talbot counties, Monday through Friday from sunrise to 3 p.m., with a limit of 12 bushels per licensee and not to exceed 24 bushels per boat. A permit is required for power dredge.