US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar decided today that a controversial oyster farm at Point Reyes National Seashore should close tomorrow so that Drakes Estero can become the first federally protected marine wilderness on the West Coast. “I’ve taken this matter very seriously. We’ve undertaken a robust public process to review the matter from all sides, and I have personally visited the park to meet with the company and members of the community,” Salazar said in a statement. “After careful consideration of the applicable law and policy, I have directed the National Park Service to allow the permit for the Drakes Bay Oyster Company to expire at the end of its current term and to return the Drakes Estero to the state of wilderness that Congress designated for it in 1976. I believe it is the right decision for Point Reyes National Seashore and for future generations who will enjoy this treasured landscape.”
Drakes Bay Oyster Company’s lease at Point Reyes will expire on November 30. Salazar directed the National Park Service “to work with the oyster company to remove its personal property from the lands and waters within 90 days.”
