The Guardians of the Great Chesapeake Bay
MISSION, GOALS, AND INDUSTRY ROLE
ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION
The goals of this organization are to promote Talbot County seafood, and to support the industry through ecological, as well as economic measures that seek to revitalize the Chesapeake Bay.
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ORGANIZATIONAL GOAL
Our organizational goal is to advocate for the public fishery and watermen in order to bring environmental and econmic change. We do this by staying well-informed of the ever-changing legislative proposals and testify at those legislative hearings; attend meetings with DNR and other advisory boards concerning management of natural resources; promote the watermen heritage; donate to community needs; and stop any harm to the Chesapeake Bay. We do this for the great Chesapeake Bay, everyone living in the watershed, and seafood lovers worldwide.
ROLE
We act as the voice for all watermen and their families ensuring their professional opinions and actual facts are heard and considered, so that they can continue doing the job they have dedicated their lives to. We advocate for our local seafood industry and seafood consumers. We bring awareness to the significantly decreased amount of harvest area allotted to public fisheries, resulting in high priced and lesser available local seafood. We also act as a resource for our public sharing factual, scientifically-based information about our watershed, harvest and the local seafood industry.
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THE TALBOT WATERMEN ASSOCIATION
Preserving the Bay and the Waterman's Way
We are the Talbot Watermen's Association. Our organization is comprised of proud watermen and their families.Our organization is imperative to keep the public fisheries alive and save the art and skill of being a commercial watermen.
The goals of organization are to promote Talbot County seafood, and to support the industry through ecological, as well as economic measures, that seek to revitalize the Chesapeake Bay.
Talbot County Watermen catch various species of seafood, depending on the time of year. Crabs, and Clams are our summer bounty, while oysters, clams have traditionally been our winter fisheries. We are also fortunate to have a variety of s
pecies of fish that are fished throughout the year including Rockfish, Bluefish, Flounder and many other varieties.
In recent years however, Watermen have had to become politically active. By working together with our legislators and DNR officials, we continue to support legislation that will improve the Bay and tributary water quality, thus ensuring a healthy Chesapeake Bay for all Maryland citizens.
Our organization is comprised primarily of Watermen, their families, and related industry businesses such as processors, shipping companies and drivers, restaurant workers, and other marine related activities.
We invite all citizens to join us who are interested in preserving the Chesapeake Bay, and all its natural resources. The Talbot Watermen Association, Inc., believes that with your support, as well as the cooperation of the DNR, and our local legislators, we can work together to restore the Chesapeake Bay thus preserving our heritage and our way of life.