Thesis:

Delaware can do more to revitalize the maritime and commercial fishing industry by establishing a
vocational school and aquatic landscaping
Body.

I.

There have been negative impacts to the Delaware fishing industry and
ecologically to the Delaware Bay caused by the decline in oyster
populations of the Delaware Bay
A. Dating as far back as the 17th century, The Delaware Bay was abundant with
oyster beds.
1. Descriptions of the oyster beds have been found in writings by Tomas
Campanius Holm dating back to 1642.
2. Due to overharvesting and a protozoan parasite discovered in 1957, a
decline in the numbers of healthy oysters was discovered.

II.

There have been positive results improving both the ecology in other
estuaries.
A. By increasing oyster populations, while managing the oyster industry
through legislation and harvest techniques in other estuaries, the oyster
industry and the ecology have simultaneously benefited.
1. New York recognized the state could solve two problems through one very
logical strategy.
2. In 2010 the New York Times published an article about the Urban Assembly
New York Harbor schools endeavors to change a pattern of high drop-out
rates and working to revitalize the oyster industry of NY
3.

Mr. Malinowski, is a second generation oysterman and an aquaculture

teacher at the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, working with the

students from the harbor school to save the New York Harbor through oyster
gardening. Kemp (2010)
4. Eighty-five percent of the students at the school are from families living
below the poverty level, and statistically most likely to drop out before
graduating high school.
5. Janique Moore, 18 at the time is evidence the school curriculum is a success.
6.

Murray Fisher, 35, is the program director at the New York Harbor School.
The harbor school became his brainstorm, creating a curriculum thats
restoration-based and makes kids feel that theyre valuable contributing
members of society. Kamp (2010).

7. Oysters are the central curriculum, not just for the historical economic
reasons, but ecologically as well.
B. Doing the same strategy along the shoreline of the Delaware Bay in
Delaware would produce the same outcome.
1. Much like the Hudson River estuary, the Delaware had over one hundred
square miles of thriving oyster beds.
2. Oysters of the western coastline of the Delaware Bay, and their natural
habitats should belong to all the people of Delaware, just as The
Chesapeake and their natural habitats belong to all of the people of
Virginia, and Maryland.
3. According to Delaware Department of Education, 2014-1014 Dropout
Summary Report several school districts in all three counties have had the
highest student dropouts
4. Using the same strategy in Delaware, that is being done in New York City
to revitalize the oyster population The best location for a maritime high

school would be at a location where the Delaware Bays salinity levels,

and water temperatures allow mature oysters, and spats to have
sustainable habitats to grow and reproduce.
5. An ideal location should be significant in the history of Delawares
maritime history, allowing at risk students from all three counties to have
equal opportunities to attend the maritime school.
6. Such a location is revealed in reports, and publications from Rutgers
Universitys Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, the State of Delaware
and other resources.
C. Though Woodland Beach has significance to the oyster industry, it also
poses an unlikely area to have a maritime school due to several problems
1. Access to the community is only possible during low tide.
2. To prevent road flooding, a new design of the existing road would have to be
elevated above the high water mark.
D. Sufficient funds would have to be available to purchase property to build a high
school to accommodate the needs of a high school capable of accepting at least
200 at risk students.

Dating as far back as the 17th century, The Delaware Bay was abundant with oyster beds.
Descriptions of the oyster beds have been found in writings by Tomas Campanius Holm dating
back to 1642. describing the social and economic significance of the many natural resource of
what was known as New Sweden, that was surveyed from Cape Henelopen to portions of
Pennsylvania by the early Swedish settler who wrote, Delaware Bay oysters were so very large
that the meat alone is the size of our oysters shell and all Delaware Estuary Program (2002)
Pg.2. Due to overharvesting and a protozoan parasite discovered in 1957, given the scientific
name MSX a decline in the numbers of healthy oysters was discovered. where oyster industry
suffered its most serious decreases in the number of bushels harvested declined over 1,000

percent, from 711,000 bushels to fewer than 50,000 bushels. Delaware Estuary Program (2010)
pg. 4
There have been positive results improving the ecology. these strategies will eventuallyover time, improve the economy, by increasing work to increase oyster populations, while better
managing the oyster industry through legislation and harvest techniques in other estuaries.
One example is taken from New York City, where the Governor recognized the city and state
could solve two problems through one very logical strategy. Prior to 2010, New York City was
experiencing high drop-out rates among high school students. NYC Department of Education
(2014), while the Hudson River, (especially the Gowanus Canal) was polluted with dangerous
levels of carcinogens that was harming the environment. Orff, (2010). The same year the New
York Times published an article about Urban Assembly New York Harbor schools endeavors to
change a pattern of high drop-out rates, and simultaneously working to revitalize the oyster
population of NYC (Kemp, 2010). Much like the Hudson River estuary, dating back to the 17th
century, the Delaware, like the Hudson river had over one hundred square miles of thriving
oyster beds. So abundant with oysters. Descriptions of the oyster beds have been found in
writings by Tomas Campanius Holm dating back to 1642, that described the social and
economic significance of the many natural resources of what was once known as New Sweden,
surveyed from Cape Henlopen to portions of Pennsylvania by the early Swedish settler who
wrote that Delaware Bay oysters were so very large that the meat alone is the size of our
oysters shell and all, Delaware Estuary Project (2002). Oysters thrived in a vast abundance,
both in the Hudson, and Delaware estuaries up until the end of the 19th century.
Oysters

of the Delaware Bay, and their natural habitats should belong to all the people of

Delaware, just as, The Chesapeake and their natural habitats belong to all of the people of

Virginia. They are truly part of the common wealth. Former Governor of Virginia Harry F.
Byrd (Hargis and Haven (1999)). As with other common-property. Therefore, the effective
management is a responsibility and function of Delawares government.
The eastern oyster was, given the scientific name Crassostrea virginica in 1791 by
Johann Friedrich Gmelin who published the description of an oyster, most likely collected and
sent to him from Virginia, White (2013)). The eastern oyster is a versatile species of marine life,
capable to live in virtually any of the estuarine waters along coastline of North America. One
oyster is capable of filtering fifty gallons of water a day, and up to 2.5 gallons of water per hour
Shilling (2015). With an abundant population of oysters in an estuary the water clarity and
quality is improved.
Mr. Malinowski, is a second generation oysterman and an aquaculture teacher at the
Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, is working with the students from the harbor school
on a project that combines the confluence of two extraordinary narratives: giving at risk
students at the Harbor school, while these at risk students work with the faculty of the school to
save the New York Harbor through oyster gardening. (Kemp, 2010) .Eighty-five percent of the
students are from families living below the poverty level, and statistically among students most
likely to drop out before graduating high school (Kemp 2010)
Janique Moore, who was 18 at the time is evidence the school curriculum is a success.
She was one of the seniors of the high school in 2010, who lived in in East New York,
Brooklyn, the schools impact drew her to deciding whether to become an environmental lawyer
or a marine biologist. She stated But Ill admit that when I was little, I didnt think there were
animals living in these waters. I didnt even think of New York as a harbor-y kind of city.
(Kamp 2010)

Murray Fisher is the program director at the New York Harbor School. After graduating
from Vanderbilt University, he went to work for an environmental organization, Riverkeeper,
which has been committed to protecting the Hudson River. The harbor school became his
brainstorm while with the organization, for a city school, as he put it in an interview, to a
curriculum thats restoration-based and makes kids feel that theyre valuable contributing
members of society. New York Times (2010). Oysters are the central curriculum, not just for
the historical economic reasons, but ecologically, oysters have a vital role in providing
hospitable habitats for other marine life that include various types of crabs, as well as wide
variety of fish. Mr. Fisher stated, it would give them a relationship with a marine
environment, which hardly anyone has in New York City. (Kamp, 2010).
According to Delaware Department of Education, 2014-1014 Dropout Summary Report
several school districts in all three counties have experienced the highest student dropouts. M.J.
Moyer Academy, with over 20%; Positive Outcomes, 7%; Delaware Academy of Public Safety,
5.5%; Laurel, 4.8%; Christiana and Colonial, School districts, both having little over 4 percent
of its students dropping out before graduating high school (table 12 page 12). In New Castle
County, the highest dropout risks are M.J. Moyer Academy, and Delaware Academy of Public
Safety. With next highest being Christiana HS, and John Dickinson HS both experiencing over
five percent student dropout rates. In Kent County, Caesar Rodney HS and ESHS at DSU are
above five percent, with ESHS being the highest risk. (table 12 pg 12). And, Sussex County
schools that experience the highest dropouts; Sussex Central Sr. HS, and Cape Henlopen, both
experiencing nearly at 5% of students dropping out before graduating. (Table 12, pg 12)
Using the same strategies that have been used in New York City by having a Maritime
high school. And employing marine scientists to work at the school, combining the curriculum

with what is done on the Chesapeake Bay to increase oyster populations, the best location for a
maritime high school would be where the Delaware Bays salinity levels water temperatures
allow mature oysters, and spats to have sustainable habitats to grow and reproduce. Hargis, and
Haven (1999) pp 341,342
The ideal location for such a high school should also have some significance in the history of
Delawares maritime history, and strategically located to allow as many at risk students from all
three counties to have equal opportunities to attend the maritime school. Such a location is
unknowingly revealed in an executive summary published by Rutgers Universitys Haskin
Shellfish Research Laboratory Oyster Industry Revitalization Task Force (1999). On the
Delaware side of the Delaware Bay, oyster beds were located from the mouth, to as far north as
Bombay Hook. (pg. ix). Though one location is not included in the executive summary, another
a report by Don Maurer and Les Watling, healthy oyster beds were located at Woodland Beach,
just a few miles north of Bombay Hook, (Maurer, D and Watling, L. pg 11).
Woodland Beach was once a popular resort community with a Ferris wheel, Toboggan
rides, a boardwalk, hotel and train station that transported passengers and cargo from
Chestertown, MD to Woodland Beach, stopping in Clayton, and Smyrna DE. (Town of Smyrna
(?) and Hansen, J. in Arcadia Publishing 2013). Between Woodland Beach, and Smyrna is the
community Smyrna Landing, noted by Delaware Department of Transportation as a once
thriving maritime port, recognized for being the home of several ship building companies. The
largest vessel built at Smyrna Landing was a 600 -ton ship named the H. H. Howe, built at
Hastings Shipyard in Smyrna Landing, and approximately seven large schooners (80 to 120
tons) also sailed in to, or out of Smyrna Landing, transporting goods and passengers to other
locations along the Delaware Bay, and worldwide. It was not uncommon for commercial vessels

requiring at least seven feet of water to navigate, sailing during high tide between Smyrna
Landing and the Delaware Bay. (Delaware Department of Transportation, (date?), Pg 110, 113.
Smyrna Landing and Woodland were once bolstering with prosperity due to the resort
community of Woodland Beach that thrived from a healthy commercial and recreational fishing
and maritime industry. Ramsey and Reilly (2002), pg 23, and Delaware Department of
Transportation pg.110
Though Woodland Beach is significant historically to the oyster populations, it also
poses an unlikely area to have a maritime school due to several problems
Access to the community is only possible during low tide. At high tide the only road in and out
of Woodland Beach is flooded by 12-18 inches of water that covers nearly a quarter mile of the
road, west of the bridge that spans over the Smyrna Landing River. This is due to several storms
that have altered the coastline of Delaware. The first in 1874, (Ramsey pg 23) and again in 1914,
when a large storm surged up the Delaware Bay that destroyed the access to the resort town.
State lawmakers refused to repair the road and left the task to repair the road to the hotel owner.
Due to the length of time it took to regain access to the resort. It soon lost the luster it once had,
where today it is little more than a ghost town. Today there is only one road in and out of the
community that during high tide To prevent road flooding, and giving adequate access to the
location the road would have to be redesigned, either elevating the portion of the road that
floods during high tide, or extending the length of the existing bridge that is spanning over the
river that eventually feeds in to the Delaware Bay..
Funds would have to be appropriated by Delaware General Assembly, to purchase property at
Woodland beach and construct a high school capable of accommodating the enrollment of at
least 200 high school level- at risk students. I have presented this concept to several members

of Delawares General Assembly, who were seeking ways of bringing good paying middle
income jobs to Delaware. The graduates of the school would better equip Delaware with skilled
professionals for a wide variety of careers that encompass the maritime industry. This would
also allow the Delawares economic development officers, lawmakers, and the Department of
Labor to present positive arguments to businesses that manufacture products for the maritime
industry to relocate their businesses to Delaware.

There are successful natural oyster reef experiments that developed through evolutionary
trial-and-error, proven to be beneficial in well-planned reef-restoration activities that a high
school providing such programs would benefit not only the oyster resource, the public owners,
the fishing and maritime industry as well as consumers. It is vital the Delaware Bays ecology be
known to commercial and recreational finfishermen as well. Active oyster reefs harbor many
epifaunal and infaunal organisms, that include several different species of finfish and crabs, as
well as clams, oysters and various forms of barnacle, all which are valuable to the overall health
of estuarine productivity and diversity, both ecologically and economically. These habitats attract
finfishes and other species that ultimately result in a higher number marine life and their
sustainable habitats. It will also bolster the State economically by attracting people to
participating in recreational Sport-fishing. Many of the fishing maps and maritime charts have
been used on the Delaware Bay to identify many formerly-productive oyster reefs as fishing
spots. This is no accident! More importantly, restoration of a species responsible for filtering
water, along with an increase in their associates as may occur will all be great benefits to all
Delaware citizens, as with vacationers, and the general region- and nation-wide population.

References

David Russel Schilling Adult Oysters Filter Fifty Gallons of Water Per
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Delaware Department of Education (2016). 2014-2015 Delaware
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http://www.deldot.gov/archaeology/3_bridges/pdf/smyrna_riv_br.
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