Cage Fights: Oyster Farming User Conflicts and Regulatory Responses in Three Southeastern States Environmental Law Journal

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has a long and storied history on America’s eastern seaboard. Before colonization, near-shore waters were teeming with oysters,1 and massive Native American shell mounds, known as middens, were found from Maine to Florida.2 Oysters were a staple of colonial and early American diets, consumed in impressive quantities by all.3 Although domestic and foreign appetites depleted many natural stocks, intrepid oystermen found ways to maintain their availability. Today, many coastal communities maintain historic, cultural, and economic ties to this precious bivalve. Grant no. NOAA-OAR-SG-2019-2005953