When Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources announced plans for a new oyster management plan in 2009, the message to watermen was clear: transition to aquaculture or face the end of commercial harvesting as they’d known it for hundreds of years.
Jeff Harrison and his fellow Talbot County watermen decided they weren’t going down without a fight.
“They were getting ready to put together this new oyster management plan where we were all going to either do aquaculture or we were going to be out of business,” Harrison recalls. “So we decided we should get together.”
That decision led to the formation of the Talbot Watermen Association, an organization that’s spent the past 16 years proving that traditional watermen can be effective stewards of the Chesapeake Bay while maintaining the harvest methods their families have used for generations.
At Full Sail Media, we’re honored to spotlight Talbot Watermen Association as our February 2026 Changemaker community partner. This month, we spoke with Harrison, the association’s president, about an organization fighting to preserve both a way of life and the oyster population it depends on.
More Than Just Harvesting: Watermen as Bay Stewards
The Talbot Watermen Association operates on a simple principle: watermen have every incentive to maintain healthy oyster populations. After all, their livelihoods depend on it.
The association runs a seed and shell program that’s producing remarkable results. The program focuses heavily on Broad Creek, one of three major tributaries in Talbot County. The other two—Harris Creek and Tred Avon—became sanctuaries closed to commercial harvesting, making Broad Creek crucial to local watermen’s survival.
“We concentrated our plantings in Broad Creek and it’s just amazing how many oysters are up there,” Harrison says. The success has created an unusual problem: too many oysters in one place. The association’s solution is paying watermen to relocate oysters to areas where they can grow properly.
The association’s approach differs from aquaculture operations like those at Phillips Wharf Environmental Center. While aquaculture involves growing larvae at facilities like Horn Point and creating “spat on shell” in controlled environments, the Talbot Watermen’s program relies on natural processes, a significantly more cost-effective approach.
The 2024 season brought exceptional natural recruitment. “This past year, it’s just amazing out there. Anything you see that’s a hard surface, it’s got oysters on it, little baby oysters. Even this fall when we were crabbing, the crabs had them all over the shells,” Harrison shares.
Legislative Advocacy: Fighting for Traditional Harvesting
The association doesn’t just manage oyster populations; they actively advocate for watermen’s rights in Annapolis. Harrison serves as the organization’s representative to the state legislature, testifying on bills that affect the industry.
For the past two years, the association has employed a lobbyist, former Maryland Department of Natural Resource Secretary, Jeannie Haddaway-Ricco, to help navigate the legislative process and protect watermen’s interests. Their advocacy has yielded results. Three years ago, legislation emerged from the Oyster Advisory Commission that allocated $1 million worth of spat on shell for sanctuaries and another $1 million for public fishery bottoms, the areas where watermen actually harvest.
“Talbot County got $500,000 of that and Queen Anne County got the other $500,000,” Harrison explains. “We’ve planted over 400 million spat on shell up there and this year we’ll put another 200 million.”
The Aquaculture Question
Harrison is careful to note he’s not against aquaculture, he just recognizes it’s not right for most traditional watermen.
“I’m not against aquaculture, but what we have seen in this area is that it’s a lot harder work than what you think it is,” he says. “There’s a lot of upfront costs that watermen really can’t afford. They said when they first came out with it that you need a couple hundred thousand dollars right up front, and you’re going to be three years doing this before you make a nickel.”
After 16 years of the management plan emphasizing aquaculture and sanctuaries, Talbot County has around 15 active leases with another 8-10 in development. “If you think you’re going to get into aquaculture and save the Bay and it’s all going to be wonderful—hey, that’s a hard job. It’s nothing but work,” Harrison cautions.
Community Support: Scholarships and Emergency Funds
The association channels fundraising proceeds into supporting watermen and their families through several programs.
Each year, they award five $1,000 scholarships—three at St. Michael’s High School, one at Easton High School, and one to private school. Some are dedicated to families with watermen connections, while others are general scholarships.
“While we aren’t necessarily setting them up to be watermen, we’re setting them up to do something else,” Harrison acknowledges, reflecting the reality that fewer young people are entering the profession. “If we can help the watermen’s families get to college, it really feels good.”
The association also maintains the Aaron Correa Fund, which provides emergency assistance to watermen facing hardship. A particular concern is Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria that affects watermen who get scratches exposed to contaminated water in the warm months May to October.
“A lot of times when this happens, the watermen are out of work for two to three weeks,” Harrison explains. “We help out with something to pay their bills.”
The fund also assists with boat repairs and other unexpected expenses. This winter’s harsh conditions and market challenges prompted the association to establish an additional emergency fund.
Building Community Through Events
The association hosts and participates in several annual events that celebrate watermen culture and raise funds for their programs.
Watermen’s Appreciation Day takes place the second Sunday in August at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Despite the name, Harrison is quick to clarify the event’s purpose: “It’s not necessarily for people to come and show us their appreciation. We just want to show other people that we appreciate them buying our seafood.”
The event features donated crabs—last year watermen donated 80 bushels—sold at reasonable prices, plus the always-popular extreme boat docking competition.
OysterFest happens the last Saturday in October, also at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, serving as another major fundraiser.
The association also maintains a presence at smaller events throughout the year, like shucking oysters at the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis during the General Assembly session, providing opportunities to talk with delegates and senators about issues affecting watermen.
At events like Fire and Ice in Easton, the association discovered an effective fundraising strategy: “We give the oysters away at these events. Oysters are free, but we ask if you want to, you can give us a donation.”
How to Support Talbot Watermen
Attend Events: Join Watermen’s Appreciation Day (second Sunday in August) or OysterFest (last Saturday in October) at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
Make a Tax-Deductible Donation: Contributions through the Mid Shore Community Foundation support scholarships, emergency assistance, and oyster restoration efforts.
Buy Local Seafood: Supporting restaurants and markets that serve Chesapeake Bay oysters and crabs helps sustain the watermen community.
At Full Sail Media, we’re inspired by organizations like Talbot Watermen Association that work to preserve traditional industries while proving they can be effective environmental stewards. Just as we help businesses adapt to changing markets while staying true to their core identity, the Talbot Watermen demonstrate how tradition and innovation can coexist.
Their work reminds us that preservation isn’t just about protecting the Bay, but protecting the communities and cultures it sustains.
To learn more about Talbot Watermen Association, upcoming events, or ways to support their work, visit talbotwatermen.net.
