County tourism officials promoting briny seafood caught in coastal bays
New York City has pizza. Maine has lobsters. Texas does barbecue, and even Virginia has peanuts.
Now, tourism officials on Maryland’s Coast say they’re hungry for a foodie identity of their own.
Of course, Maryland and blue crabs already go together like Old Bay and newsprint – but oysters, clams, and bay scallops grown in the coastal bays have never enjoyed quite the same recognition.
With that in mind, the county will formally launch a new marketing campaign called Maryland’s Coast Shellfish on Aug. 20 at Baywater Landing in Snow Hill. The name builds on the “Maryland’s Coast” branding that Worcester County already uses to market the county as a tourism destination.
Tourism officials are hanging that campaign on the one thing they say sets oysters and scallops harvested from the coastal bays apart from the competition: salt.
“The natural salinity of our waters contributes to a brinier, more flavorful product that is highly desirable for its taste and quality,” said Brianna Dix, communications and marketing manager for Worcester County Tourism and Economic Development.
The goal, Dix said, is to make local shellfish more recognizable, encourage more people to buy it, and ultimately make the industry more profitable for growers.