Maryland and Virginia Oyster Restoration Interagency Teams

The Maryland and Virginia Oyster Restoration Interagency Teams are responsible for identifying tributaries for large-scale oyster restoration and developing Oyster Restoration Tributary Plans for each waterway, in consultation with partners and scientists. Workgroup members include representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore and Norfolk districts, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, state agencies (including the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission), local organizations and consulting scientists. These teams are focused on planning restoration and monitoring in the tributaries that have been selected so far for tributary restoration: Harris Creek, Tred Avon, Little Choptank, and St. Marys River in Maryland; Lafayette, Lynnhaven, Piankantank, Great Wicomico, and Lower York River in Virginia.

Publications

2024 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

Publication date: April 4, 2025

This report summarizes progress made in 2024 toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s "Ten Tributaries by 2025" Oyster Outcome.

View document [PDF, 2.9 MB] 2024 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

2022 and 2023 Maryland Oyster Monitoring Report

Publication date: September 6, 2024

This report provides an analysis of Maryland's 2022 and 2023 oyster restoration success.

View document [PDF, 6.1 MB] 2022 and 2023 Maryland Oyster Monitoring Report

2023 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

Publication date: May 13, 2024

This report summarizes progress made in 2023 toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s "Ten Tributaries by 2025" Oyster Outcome.

View document [PDF, 3.4 MB] 2023 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

2022 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

Publication date: May 8, 2023

This report summarizes progress made in 2022 toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s "Ten Tributaries by 2025" Oyster Outcome.

View document [PDF, 2.3 MB] 2022 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

2021 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

Publication date: April 12, 2022

This report summarizes progress made in 2021 toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s "Ten Tributaries by 2025" Oyster Outcome.

View document [PDF, 3.6 MB] 2021 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration Update

View all publications‍

Our Watershed Agreement Goals & Outcomes

Sustainable Fisheries Goal

Oysters

Our Members

Stephanie Westby (Chair)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stephanie.westby@noaa.gov
Christina Garvey (Staffer)
Chesapeake Research Consortium christina.garvey@noaa.gov
Joseph Bieberich
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) joseph.c.bieberich@usace.army.mil
David Bruce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) david.bruce@noaa.gov
Russell Burke
Christopher Newport University russell.burke@cnu.edu
Andrew Button
Virginia Marine Resources Commission andrew.button@mrc.virginia.gov
Olivia Caretti
Oyster Recovery Partnership ocaretti@oysterrecovery.org
Sarah Greenberg
Oyster Recovery Partnership sgreenberg@oysterrecovery.org
Zachary Greenberg
Pew Charitable Trusts zgreenberg@pewtrusts.org
Brent James
Lynnhaven River NOW brent@lrnow.org
Todd Janeski
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation tvjaneski@vcu.edu
Kerry Kennedy
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) kerry.m.kennedy@usace.army.mil
Kimberly Koelsch
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kimberly.C.Koelsch@usace.army.mil
Jay Lazar
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) jay.lazar@noaa.gov
Rom Lipcius
Virginia Institute of Marine Science rom@vims.edu
Heather Lockwood
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Heather.Lockwood@usace.army.mil
Mark Luckenbach
Virginia Institute of Marine Science luck@vims.edu
Chris Ludford
Pleasure House Oysters ludfordbros@gmail.com
Julie Luecke
Chesapeake Bay Foundation jluecke@cbf.org
Jennica Moffat
Oyster Recovery Partnership jmoffat@oysterrecovery.org
Chris Moore
Chesapeake Bay Foundation cmoore@cbf.org
David O'Brien
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) David.L.O'Brien@noaa.gov
Thomas Olexa
U.S. Department of the Navy (DON) thomas.olexa@navy.mil
Tarig Omer
City of Virginia Beach (VA) tomer@vbgov.com
Joe Rieger
Elizabeth River Project jrieger@elizabethriver.org
Gabrielle Saluta
Virginia Institute of Marine Science gsaluta@vims.edu
Laurinda Serafin
Maryland Department of Natural Resources laurinda.serafin@maryland.gov
Jackie Shannon
Chesapeake Bay Foundation jshannon@cbf.org
Ward Slacum, Jr.
Oyster Recovery Partnership wslacum@oysterrecovery.org
Chris Judy
Maryland Department of Natural Resources chris.judy@maryland.gov
Adam Kenyon
Virginia Marine Resources Commission Adam.Kenyon@mrc.virginia.gov
Angie Sowers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) angela.sowers@usace.army.mil