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The Oyster Question

"The Oyster Question" is a thought-provoking book that examines the complex interplay of environmental, agricultural, political, and social factors in the decline of Maryland's iconic Chesapeake Bay oyster industry.

Keiner argues that while it is commonly believed that a lack of regulation led to over-exploitation of the bay's oyster resources, the reality is more nuanced. She contends that state officials, scientists, and oystermen worked together to create a regulated commons that sustained tidewater communities for decades.

However, a confluence of natural and unnatural disasters in the 1980s weakened the bay's resilience and endangered the oyster resource. Keiner explores the conflicts that arose between scientists advocating for privatization and watermen resisting the forces of rural change, highlighting the challenges of balancing economic and environmental concerns.

"The Oyster Question" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and future of the Chesapeake Bay oyster industry and the complex relationship between science, policy, and tradition.

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