How much is due to pollution of the Chesapeake Bay due to runoff of fertilizer, effluent from waste treatment plants, and storm water drainage from highways. The population of the Washington/Baltimore metropolitan area has exploded with the growth of the federal government in the 80 years since WWII. Perhaps the answer to saving the Chesapeake Bay is to dramatically shrink the size of government which will result in people leaving the DC area and dispersing across the country. With a smaller population dumping poorly treated waste into the Chesapeake Bay, the ecosystem can recover.
It would be interesting to see if oysters harvested on the eastern shore differ from those on the much more developed western shore. Although there is lots of farming on the eastern side the waters tend to be clearer and saltier (due to the Coriolis Force).
There’s no question that the areas surrounding DC have undergone explosive development. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is changing rapidly. In fact, Maryland’s eastern shore is starting to build up as people flee the congestion, crime and corruption plaguing the western side which is dominated by liberal politics. The eastern shore is far more conservative.
My guess these were lab grown.
Well, an asteroid impact created Chesapeake Bay. A repeat could really improve the (political) climate.