Pollution must be addressed quantitatively. There is absolutely no doubt that poultry litter (also sludge and manure) are massive sources of both nitrogen and phosphorous pollution of Chesapeake Bay, and the easiest source of pollution to eliminate. Harvest of oysters (the harvest of fish and crabs is larger) cannot even make a tiny dent in removing those pollutants. The only way to improve water quality is to stop polluting. Banning the practice of land application, or at least ensuring that it is phosphorous-based and provides only the amount of phosphorous the crop needs, based on a soil test, is very long overdue. A ban on the land application of animal waste would reduce bay nutrient pollution more than has been accomplished by expensive upgrades of wastewater treatment facilities.