MD HB1388

Establishes a 5-year rotational harvest pilot program for oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, implemented by the Department of Natural Resources, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2032

Designates four harvest areas: Lower Choptank River, Lower Main Stem Chesapeake Bay, Herring Bay, and Lower Chester River, with specific oyster bars opened on a rotating schedule across the 2026-2031 oyster seasons

Requires tidal fish licensees with oyster authorization to replace oyster shells on the bar where caught, in bushel amounts equal to the harvest

Grants the Department authority to manage harvests by adjusting catch limits, limiting hours and days of harvest, and restricting allowable gear

Mandates baseline data collection before opening areas (water quality, habitat quality, silt/sediment, submerged vegetation, diseased oysters) and continued monitoring after closure, with a report to the Governor and General Assembly due by December 1, 2031