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Oyster Farmers Clash With Homeowners and Boaters

Pamela D'Angelo

This week, Virginia Beach homeowners and recreational boaters unhappy with large metal oyster farming cages on their beaches and waterways asked state officials for help. 

Members of the Marine Resources Commission this week were asked to consider a permitting system for oyster farmers leasing river bottoms from the state. But a majority said it's up to the General Assembly to do it.

Related: State Regulators Try to Solve Oyster Farming Conflict in Virginia Beach

Commissioner John Bull wants regulations changed.

“My concerns about all this are on a good government basis and they're not intrinsic to whether or not they're oyster cages or where they should be or how many there should be or whether they're oil derricks or they're floating hovercraft 12 feet above the water," Bull said. "My point is that we don't have a process for appropriate citizen input and the decision-making that's informed case by case as we do with other issues.”

The board also lifted a moratorium on new farm leases that has been in place since January.

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