by Larry Chowning
URBANNA—Years ago, when the first day of oyster season opened, local oystermen referred to it as “the day the smokehouse door opened” while others called it “the day the bank opened”—referring to the positive economic impact oysters had on the economy.
Virginia’s 2020-21 public oyster season opened on November 2 with Area 6 on the Rappahannock River open to oystermen. On the first day, wind and choppy seas kept most oystermen at the dock.
On Tuesday, November 3, however, wind and water calmed and Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) Area 6 was full of oyster boats. The Rappahannock’s Area 6 oyster ground is…
