The Virginia Marine Resources Commission will hold a public hearing at noon Tuesday to decide whether to establish 15 oyster aquaculture opportunity zones in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

The meeting will be held at VMRC headquarters, 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News.

Ten of the zones are local, with four located off the shores of Gloucester, five off Mathews shores, and one off Middlesex. The size of the zones range from eight to 210 acres, as follows:

Severn River—27.81 acres southeast of Whittaker Creek, north of Public Grounds 19 and 20;

Ware River—26.87 acres east of Page Creek, approximately 6100 feet northwest of Tow Stake Point; 26.87 acres near Beulla, approximately 5500 feet east of Jarvis Point; and 35.74 acres near Ware Neck, approximately 3,900 feet northwest of Ware Neck Point.

North River—15.18 acres, approximately 2,200 feet west of Roy’s Point and north of Public Grounds 3 and 4 of Mathews County, and 32.92 acres south of Blackwater Creek and east of Public Grounds 4 and 2 of Mathews County.

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