MARYLAND- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced new oyster regulations that took effect March 2.
The changes update rules for Public Shellfish Fishery Areas, known as PSFAs, in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. The department replaced its 2023 map of those areas with a new October 2025 version.
The update includes changes to three fishery areas.
PSFA 83 – Queen Anne’s County
Part of PSFA 83 in Crab Alley Bay has been declassified to allow a shellfish aquaculture lease.
The change affects about eight acres. The proposed lease covers 1.6 acres, along with a required 150-foot buffer around it.
State rules do not allow leases inside a PSFA or within 150 feet of one. However, areas can be declassified if they meet certain criteria. The department said it reviewed oyster data and conducted a biological survey before approving the change.
The buffer area will remain open to public oyster harvesting.
PSFA 152 – Calvert County
The boundary of PSFA 152 in the Patuxent River was adjusted to remove an overlap with the Upper Patuxent Oyster Sanctuary.
Sanctuaries are closed to oyster harvesting. Because PSFAs are open to commercial harvest, the two areas cannot overlap. The boundary was changed to fix that issue.
PSFA 156 – St. Mary’s County
Boundaries were also updated for PSFA 156 in Smith Creek.
The change fixes a 150-foot buffer that overlapped with two existing aquaculture leases. The department said the issue was found during a recent mapping review.
The proposal was discussed with advisory groups and opened for public comment before being finalized.
The changes could affect shellfish farmers and people who harvest oysters in the impacted areas.