Chesapeake Bay News

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Montgomery County have partnered to rebuild the Pennyfield boat ramp which provides access to the Potomac River. The ramp is located at the Muddy Branch at the National Park Service aqueduct. This popular location has been used for decades by boaters and anglers.

“The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission appreciates the cooperative efforts with DNR and the National Park Service to design, fund, and construct this project that provides greatly improved access to the aqueduct and Potomac River,” said Project Engineer Andrew Frank. “This location is very popular among avid sportsmen and families alike, and we have received many compliments on the completed project. M-NCPPC anticipates the public will continue to enjoy this improved launch site for decades to come and thanks everyone who helped make it possible.”

DNR provided $99,000 in grant funds to Montgomery County to build a concrete ramp, an in-water stone “j-hook” (that creates deep pooling water downstream from the ramp), place stones along the river banks to help keep them secure, and to create a handicapped accessible parking space. The Montgomery County Department of Parks contributed over $99,000 as well. DNR grant funds are from the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is funded by the 5 percent excise tax boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland.

This unique boat ramp, which replaces the old wooden boat ramp that had fallen into disrepair, will provide access to hundreds of small flat bottom motorized hunting and fishing boats, and thousands of canoes and kayaks to the Potomac River.

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

Maryland Oyster partners have announced the start of the 2010 oyster planting season and the Marylanders Grow Oyster Program. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and the non-profit Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) launched the season together, planting the first of 10.3 million oyster spat on the State’s Bank protected sanctuary bar in the Upper Choptank River.

According to MD-DNR, Oyster reefs are critical to the Bay’s recovery. Healthy oyster reefs filter water, provide crucial substrate for underwater communities and support for fish and crabs. The Oyster Recovery Partnership’s field operation transports hundreds of millions of hatchery-raised, spat-on-shell oysters produced at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Horn Point Laboratory and plants them on hundreds of acres of pre-selected and prepared oyster reefs around Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

“Without oysters, our Bay’s health and the marine life that relies on these vital reefs will not improve,” said Stephan Abel, Executive Director for the Oyster Recovery Partnership. “This gives us renewed enthusiasm each planting season knowing we are making a positive impact.”

The oyster restoration process involves several steps to produce oyster larvae which are nurtured until they are ready to attach themselves to shell. The resulting spat are allowed to set on aged, cleaned oyster shells which is provided by ORP.

The resulting spat on shell are then planted on pretreated restoration sites throughout the Bay by the Oyster Recovery Partnership, and monitored by the University of Maryland and DNR for growth and health. Restoration sites are selected by DNR through a consensus-based coalition that includes ORP, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), UMCES, the Maryland Waterman’s Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

As summer nears and some 12.5 million registered boaters hit the water, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey is launching an effort to remind people about the importance of using up-to-date nautical charts. NOAA is a co-sponsor of the newly formed Alliance for Safe Navigation, a public-private partnership that raises awareness of safe boating practices and offers an instructional Web site to get people started.

“Recreational boaters, unlike commercial mariners, are not required to carry nautical charts,” explains Captain John Lowell, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. “We are sponsoring this new nationwide educational effort because we want people to understand that NOAA’s nautical charts are easy to find and easy to use. By using ‘Print on Demand’ paper charts or multi-functional electronic charts that are updated by NOAA cartographers, people have a better chance of avoiding potential groundings and other accidents.”

Charts can become outdated quickly because storms may alter seafloors, with shoals building up and water depths changing. NOAA conducts hydrographic surveys along U.S. coasts, measuring ocean depths and recording seafloor shifts. The agency uses the survey information to continually update nautical charts.

Joining NOAA in the Alliance for Safe Navigation are the Boat Owners Association of the United States (Boat U.S.), Jeppesen Marine, the United States Power Squadrons (USPS), OceanGrafix and the Sea Tow Foundation for Boating Safety and Education. The Alliance for Safe Navigation will encourage boaters to be aware of the significant and frequent changes that are occurring in their boating area.

As the nation’s official nautical chartmaker, NOAA maintains a suite of 2,000 navigation products that support safe recreational boating and marine transportation along coastal waterways and in the Great Lakes. NOAA and other alliance members provide many tools that give mariners the latest information, distributing a range of products such as print-on-demand paper charts and digital updates for electronic charts.

“The alliance members identified a widespread lack of awareness among boaters regarding the accuracy of their charts, whether electronic or paper,” explains David DeGree, president of OceanGrafix. “The truth is that inaccurate chart information can turn a safe and enjoyable cruise into a dangerous situation.”

source: NOAA

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has launched the new DNR Angler’s Log on its Fisheries Service website.

“We have been testing a new concept in sharing fishing information with a DNR-managed online angler’s log, featuring content provided by trusted anglers and our own fisheries staff,” said DNR Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell.

The DNR Angler’s Log expands upon the popular weekly fishing report by DNR biologist Keith Lockwood, with real-time reports from avid anglers from all parts of Maryland. The posts are reviewed and edited to ensure useful, family-friendly content before going live on the fisheries site. Additionally, Fisheries Service staff biologists regularly weigh in with backup information from the streams, lakes, rivers, bays and the ocean.

In the first 30 days the log generated more than 48,000 visitors and exciting fishing news flowed in, including advice about where the fish were biting and how they were caught.

The log is designed to be a place where anglers of all ages can go to find trustworthy information and features an easy search function so visitors may narrow the reports down to species, places of interest, or a specific contributor.

It also pairs up with the new DNR Hot Spot Map which identifies where fishing is particularly good.

The Angler’s Log is located at http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/log

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

Steven G. Bowman, head of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, has declared that weekend of June 4-6, 2010 to be free saltwater fishing days, as permitted by state law.

“This is a terrific chance to discover the joy of fishing and boating,” said Bowman. “Fishing produces memories that can last a lifetime and can foster a deeper appreciation for our natural environment. We should all strive to be stewards of our natural resources.”

No fishing license of any kind will be required for recreational saltwater rod and reel fishing during free fishing days. All fishing regulations, including size, season, catch limits and gear restrictions, will remain in effect.

A Virginia saltwater fishing license costs only $12.50 a year for state residents. It’s a bargain, and the money supports valuable fisheries work across the state.

“We’re proud of the work we do to protect our natural resources, and we hope everyone takes advantage of free fishing days so that they may learn the joys of fishing in Virginia,” said Bowman, Commissioner of the agency that manages the state’s saltwater fisheries. “That is what our conservation efforts are all about.”

The latest Virginia Institute of Marine Science Bay Grass Survey shows that the abundance of underwater grasses in Chesapeake Bay increased by 18 percent last year, from 64,917 acres in 2007 to 76,861 acres in 2008.

This is the fourth largest total acreage of bay grasses recorded since the bay-wide survey began in 1984. Bay grasses increased in abundance in several areas.

Maryland waters had a 12% increase, the second highest level seen in Maryland waters since the Virginia Institute of Marine Science began its annual bay grass survey in 1984. The 12 percent increase in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers brings the State to 41 percent of its bay grass restoration goal. Maryland’s bay grasses totaled 47,286 acres in 2009, up from 42,237 acres in 2008.

In addition to increased bay grasses, the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has increased substantially for the second straight year. The latest winter dredge survey shows a 60% increase in Maryland’s crab population.

“Because bay grasses are sensitive to even small changes in water pollution, they serve as a key indicator of Chesapeake Bay health,” explained Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin. “Healthy bay grass beds protect shorelines from erosion, produce oxygen and filter polluted water.”

Grasses on the Susquehanna Flats, near Havre de Grace, have quadrupled since the early 1990s, and a single bed now covers approximately 12.5 square miles, the largest in the Bay. Other improved areas include the upper Potomac River, from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge south to Mattawoman Creek.

Bay grasses in the middle section of the Chesapeake Bay, the area south of the Bay Bridge to the Virginia state line, also increased including areas located on the lower Eastern Shore and in Tangier Sound near Smith Island.

Growth of eelgrass, along with widgeon grass, accounted for about 60 percent of the baywide increase. These notable gains include 1,337-acres (11%) in the Tangier-Smith Island region, 1,092-acres (9%) in the eastern lower Chesapeake Bay and 1,794-acres (29%) in Mobjack Bay. Widgeon grass showed a very strong resurgence in the 2,985-acre increase (24%) in the Honga River.

While healthy bay grasses expanded in the upper Chesapeake Bay and on the Eastern Shore, several rivers on the middle Western Shore experienced bay grass declines.

The Magothy River, near Annapolis, and Piscataway Creek, in the upper Potomac River, both lost over half of their grasses in 2009. Bay scientists are working to understand the causes of these declines in order to better target restoration efforts in these rivers.

A new study by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists finds that several of Maryland’s native crayfish species have declined due to the introduction and spread of invasive species. This new study highlights the need for increased public awareness of invasive species issues and public participation and support to prevent the spread of problem animals.

“It’s been over 45 years since the last comprehensive study of Maryland’s crayfish, and a lot has changed in that time” said Jay Kilian, a biologist in DNR’s Resource Assessment Service and one of the authors of the study. “Maryland is now home to five non-native crayfish, all introduced as unwanted pets, through their use as bait by anglers, or as a result of escapes from aquaculture operations.”

The threat looms large, especially with the first-ever discovery of the Rusty Crayfish, one of the most notorious invasive species, in three Maryland watersheds in 2007 and 2008.

Crayfish play important ecological roles in nature. They serve as prey to many terrestrial and aquatic predators and are important processors of organic matter, the basis of aquatic food webs. However, several non-native crayfish species have flourished, become invasive, and are now widespread in the state. These invasive species represent the greatest threat to Maryland’s 14 native crayfish species.

Invasive crayfish can become very abundant in the streams, rivers, and lakes in which they are introduced. They often out-compete native crayfish for shelter habitats and food. These invasive species can also reduce the quality and quantity of food and habitat available to other aquatic animals.

“The most important thing we can do to protect our native species is to prevent the further spread of invasive crayfish already in Maryland and keep other invasives out,” Kilian said.

The study’s results were recently published in a special issue of Southeastern Naturalist, the product of a scientific symposium on the conservation, biology, and natural history of crayfish from the southern United States. It is available online: http://eaglehill.us/SENAonline/sena-v9-sp3-2010.shtml

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

On April 14, The governors of Virginia and Maryland announced that the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population has increased for the second year in a row because of a landmark stock rebuilding program.  The latest survey estimates the population has risen to 658 million crabs, a 60 percent increase from last year and the highest seen since 1997.

The population estimate is the result of the 2009-2010 bay-wide winter dredge survey conducted annually by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

Speaking about the announcement, Virginia Governor McDonnell remarked, “Protecting and improving the Chesapeake Bay, including the blue crab population, was a priority I outlined during my campaign.  This is shaping up to be a tremendous environmental success story. The crab population is booming. Harvests are up. Our commercial crabbers’ jobs and the waterman’s way of life now appear to be on the path to sustainability.  This is great news for everyone who makes their living by crabbing and for everyone who enjoys genuine Chesapeake Bay crab cakes and she-crab soup.”

Governor McDonnell continued, “While great strides have been made to rebuild our environmentally and economically important crab population, more work remains to be done with our steadfast Maryland partners. Two years does not make a trend.  The scientific evidence shows our management measures are working but we need to continue along this path in order to ensure the Bay’s crab population returns to robustness and remains at that level.  Improving the Bay and the blue crab population will continue to be a priority of mine over the next four years.”

Governor O’Malley also commented, “Today, we can see firsthand what progress looks and feels like on the Chesapeake Bay.  Today, because of the unprecedented partnership between Maryland and Virginia and tough decisions over the past two years, the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is estimated to be 658 million crabs — a 60 percent increase over last year and the highest total population estimate since 1997.  While we are making progress, our work is not done and we are committed to working with our partners to achieve our ultimate goal of a self-sustaining fishery that will support our industry and recreational fisheries over the long term.”

Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech noted, “Our watermen are due gratitude for their endurance during this stock rebuilding, and for their conservation efforts.  With more crabs in the water, watermen should see bigger harvests with less effort and fewer costs.  The Virginia Marine Resources Commission deserves credit for its steadfast resolve to enact and maintain the regulations necessary to rebuild the crab fishery with our partners in Maryland.”

Rom Lipcius, who directs the Virginia component of the dredge survey for VIMS, said, “The substantial rise in abundance of mature crabs and juveniles was clearly a response of the crab population to unprecedented management actions, such as the closure of the winter dredge fishery, by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and partner agencies.  The increase was neither a random event nor a reflection of improved environmental conditions. From here on, we have to maintain the population at these levels to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Chesapeake Bay stock.”

The results of the most recent annual winter crab dredge survey indicate 2008 management measures enacted as part of a historic collaboration with Maryland and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission are succeeding but not completed.  Two years ago, that survey estimated the bay-wide blue crab population to be a mere 298 million crabs, prompting a series of coordinated harvest reduction strategies by Virginia, Maryland, and PRFC fishery managers.  Last year, the survey estimated 403 million crabs overwintered in the Chesapeake Bay.

The new survey also shows a baby boom – an almost doubling of the number of juvenile crabs, making it the largest new generation of crabs since 1997 and an encouraging development that wasn’t seen last year.
In 2008, Maryland, Virginia and the PRFC took strong, coordinated action to reduce harvest pressure on female crabs by 34 percent. At that time, scientists from all three jurisdictions deemed conservation measures necessary as blue crab suffered near historic lows in spawning stock.

The 2008 conservation measures resulted in a large increase in the number of adults in the bay during the 2009 spawning season, and this year’s survey confirms that success has carried over into a healthy spawn. Crab reproduction this year was the sixth highest in the 21-year survey. The abundance of both adult female and male crabs also rose again this year, bringing the estimated number of spawning-age crabs to 315 million, well above the interim target level of 200 million.
In seven of the 10 years between 1998 and 2007, the annual removal of blue crabs bay-wide exceeded the “safe” removal level of 53 percent.

Preliminary numbers indicate the 2009 bay-wide harvest was 53 million pounds, the third largest in the past 10 years. Virginia’s harvest last year appears to have increased by more than 30 percent, from 17.3 million to 22.5 million pounds.

Despite the increased harvest, last year’s bay-wide fishery removal rate was approximately 43 percent, which was lower than the 46 percent target established by scientists, who say this is key to maintaining a healthy population.

The bay-wide blue crab winter dredge survey is the primary survey used to assess the condition of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population. Since 1990, the survey has employed crab dredges to sample blue crabs at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay from December through March. By sampling during winter when blue crabs are buried in the mud and stationary, scientists can develop, with good precision, estimates of the number of crabs present in the bay.

Estimates of abundance are developed separately for young-of-the-year crabs, mature female crabs, and adult male crabs. Together, these groups of crabs will support the 2010 fishery and produce the next generation of crabs.

In 2008, Virginia and Maryland asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare the Chesapeake Bay crab fishery a federal disaster due to the historic low blue crab population. Under that designation, $15 million in crab disaster funds from NOAA‘s National Marine Fisheries Service were appropriated for each state to help rescue the crab population and provide needed economic relief to the commercial fishing industry.

Virginia’s crab disaster funds were used to buy back 359 commercial crab licenses in order to reduce actual or potential crab fishing; to employ out-of-work watermen who pulled up 18,000 derelict crab pots over the past two winters; and to train crabbers in shellfish farming.

source: VMRC press release

Maryland’s Governor has signed a bill into law to strengthen protection of children on Maryland waterways. Under the new law, effective immediately, any child under the age of 13 is required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) while aboard a vessel that is underway. The law will also require children under the age of 16 to possess a certificate of boating safety education before they can operate a vessel unless they are supervised by an adult or someone 16 or older who has a boating safety certificate, effective Oct. 1.

“As a State, nothing we do is more important than protecting the lives of our children,” said Governor O’Malley. “By raising the age at which a child is required to wear a life vest and improving boating safety education, this legislation will do just that.”

Formerly, any child under the age of seven had to wear a PFD on a recreational boat 21 feet or smaller, unless the boat is moored or anchored or the child is below deck in an enclosed cabin.

“We firmly believe this new legislation will help us prevent boating fatalities,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “Even one boating-related death is unacceptable. We are doing everything we can to keep our boaters – and our children – safe.”

The State averages 12 boating related fatalities a year. In 2009, Maryland had 17 boating related fatalities;16 of the victims were not wearing PFDs.

“A life jacket is the single most important piece of safety equipment, but it doesn’t work unless you wear it,” said NRP Superintendent Colonel George Johnson. “This law will provide an added measure of safety for our children boating on Maryland waters. “

Raising the age requirement puts Maryland in line with federal regulations and 34 states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The federal regulations do not supersede the state, but the National Transportation Safety Board strongly encourages states to update their PFD requirements.

The legislation was supported by the U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, Safe Kids USA, National Boating Federation, National Safe Boating Council, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and the Marine Retailers Association of America.

Existing Maryland law requires that anyone born on or after July 1, 1972 must have a Certificate of Boating Safety Education in order to operate a mechanically propelled vessel on Maryland waters. NRP offers both in-person and on-line boating safety courses to receive that certificate. For more information go to http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/safety/basiccourse.html

The full bill can be viewed at http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/bills/sb/sb0092t.pdf

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has removed two sunken barges from the Somers Cove Marina, making it ready to welcome boaters this season. The barges sank in the marsh of Jersey Island near Somers Cove Marina approximately 20 years ago.

“For years, this area of the marina has been a bit of an eyesore. Now, we can begin the first stage of a beautification project in that section,” said Lloyd Tyler, executive director of Somers Cove Marina.

Beautification efforts include covering the land next to the project area with topsoil and grass, and planting new trees.

Steven’s Marine Construction was awarded the contract to remove the sunken barges. Fuel tanks from the barges were properly drained and removed before the barges were hauled out, which will result in safer navigation of the area. Following removal, the barges’ corroding steel was taken to Delmarva Recycling Inc. to be recycled.

“The commission is very supportive of this effort to remove the old barges,” said Somers Cover Marina Commissioner Ladell Dorman. “They were a potential hazard to navigation as well as a possible source of pollution.”

In conjunction with ongoing projects to replace an old dock with a floating dock, and to upgrade and repair the fuel dock, removal of the sunken barges has Somers Cove Marina ready to welcome boaters for the 2010 boating season.

This removal was made possible by $13,500 from the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is supported by the five percent excise tax boaters pay when registering a vessel in Maryland.

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov