CAMBRIDGE — Lumps of hardened, sandy clay, some shaped as if they might contain a small oyster shell, are being placed in the Little Choptank River to expand existing natural oyster bars.

The lumps of clay were the stars of a press conference held here Sunday before the start of a crab feast fundraiser for State Sen. Richard Colburn. Among those speaking against the use of this material to expand oyster bars were Eastern Shore representatives State Sen. Stephen Hershey (R-Upper Shore), and delegates Mike McDermott (R-Worcester) and Charles Otto (R-Wicomico).

Maryland Watermen’s Association President Robert Brown held a small tray of the clay lumps as he explained that Monday the MWA will be taking the matter of “illegal dumping” in the Little Choptank to the Maryland Department of the Environment in an effort to stop the fossil oyster shell from being placed in the Little Choptank.

“We hope we can stop it,” Brown said.

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