Environmentalists oppose Va. asian oyster request

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – (AP) An industry group is seeking the green light from Virginia to grow 1.1 million Asian oysters in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Eastern Shore.

The request Tuesday by the Virginia Seafood Council was made as Virginia, Maryland and the Army Corps of Engineers prepare to announce a larger strategy of restoring oysters to the bay.

Environmental groups and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have labeled the Asian species too risky and a threat to revive native stocks.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other critics argue that government and industry should focus their energies and money on restoring the native oyster alone.