Dine Out Week to Benefit Oyster Recovery Partnership

     Annapolis, Md. -- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today the restaurants participating in the week-long celebration, From the Bay, For the Bay Dine Out, to promote Maryland seafood, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Oyster Recovery Partnership. Some of the restaurants include Clyde's, Hank's Oyster Bar, DC Coast, McCormick & Schmick's, Matchbox, and Equinox. “From the Bay, For the Bay is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the incredible bounty our sate has to offer,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “By connecting our restaurants with local Maryland seafood, we are protecting our natural resources while creating and saving jobs.”
     The promotion will run October 2-9, 2011, with more than 200 restaurants already committed to participate. DNR anticipates that more than 300 total restaurants will take part in the celebration.
     “From the Bay, For the Bay supports the seafood industry and the livelihood of so many who rely on it,” said Todd and Ellen Gray, owners of Equinox, Watershed, and Muse.
     During the promotion, restaurants will feature fresh Maryland Seafood dishes. Each restaurant has agreed to donate a dollar from every Maryland seafood dinner sold during the week to the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a non-profit organization working to rebuild the Chesapeake Bay’s native oyster population.
     “With the Chesapeake Bay at our backdoor, and multiple restaurants throughout the region, we jumped at the opportunity to partner with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for the benefit of the Oyster Recovery Partnership,” said Ty Neal, principal partner of the Matchbox Food Group. “With this Dine Out, customers and restaurants alike can truly give back in rebuilding the Bay.”
     Over the last decade, the Oyster Recovery Partnership has replanted hundreds of millions of oysters in the Bay. Oysters are a critical species to the Bay’s long term recovery. A healthy oyster reef not only filters the Bay’s waters, but also provides habitat for other marine life such as blue crabs and striped bass.
     In preparation for the celebration, DNR has launched a webpage and a mobile web app featuring interactive maps to help seafood lovers locate and contact participating restaurants.
     For more information and to view the full list of participating restaurants please visit dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fromthebay/
    Look for the From the Bay, For the Bay mobile web app, on the fisheries mobile page on any web-capable mobile device.
     Restaurants that would like to participate should contact Steve Vilnit at svilnit@dnr.state.md.us.