Chesapeake Bay News

On April 21, 2008, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposed new recreational and commercial harvest regulations to help rebuild the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population and fishery. The proposed regulations are designed to reduce female blue crab harvest by 34 percent in 2008.

“We must take action today to ensure that Maryland’s iconic blue crab and the economy it supports continue to be important parts of our culture for generations to come,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “The historic cooperation and coordination between Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission has created an unparalleled opportunity to protect and restore our shared blue crab resource.  By working together, we will protect the most biologically important blue crabs from the beginning of their migration until they spawn in late spring and summer.”

The proposed emergency regulations for the 2008 Chesapeake Bay commercial blue crab fishery include an early closure to the season for harvesting female crabs and catch limits on female crabs earlier in the fall.  DNR’s preferred regulatory option being introduced as an emergency regulatory package today, would close commercial harvest of female crabs on October 23 and impose individualized catch limits effective September 1 based on a waterman’s recent annual average reported female blue crab harvest.  The proposed emergency regulations for the 2008 Chesapeake Bay recreational fishery prohibit any female blue crab harvest.

Protecting female blue crabs by reducing recreational and commercial harvests represents the best opportunity for the quickest rebound,” said DNR Secretary John R. Griffin.  “We will continue to work with scientists, recreational crabbers, the commercial crab industry, conservationists, and local businesses to ensure a sustainable future for our blue crabs so that the species can continue to fulfill its ecological role within the Bay while also supporting the local economies that rely upon it.”

The current abundance of adult or reproductive-age blue crabs is 120 million crabs, only slightly above the established minimum safe threshold of 86 million reproductive-age crabs, is 70 percent lower than 1990 levels and well below the conservation target of 200 million crabs.  Since 2001, Maryland and Virginia have shared a conservation goal of limiting annual blue crab harvest to no more than 46 percent of the species population.  Scientists estimate that more than 60 percent of the Bay’s adult crab population was harvested last year.  In Maryland, the 2007 commercial blue crab harvest of approximately 21.8 million pounds was one of the lowest recorded since 1945.

Governor O’Malley has committed to working closely with Maryland’s blue crab industry to develop mitigation options for the potential short term economic impacts resulting from the proposed regulations. The fiscal year 2009 capital budget for DNR included $3 million for habitat restoration projects, seafood processing industry grants and aquaculture development.

More than 500 individual comments have been submitted on blue crab management to the DNR since it initiated a public comment process in February. DNR’s public comment process thus far has included nine public and Sport and Tidal Fish Advisory Commissions meetings and an on-going online comment process. The proposed draft regulations will be reviewed by the Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review. The proposed regulations will be published in the Maryland Register on May 23, 2008.

DNR will hold two public hearings on the regulatory proposal – one on May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Governor’s Hall at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge, and one on June 4 at 7 p.m. at Calvary United Methodist Church in Annapolis.  Sign language interpreters and other appropriate accommodations for individuals will be provided upon request.  Public comments may also be submitted via mail to Sarah Widman, Fisheries Service, B-2, Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, by calling 410-260-8260, by faxing to 410-260-8278 or emailing to fisheriespubliccomment@dnr.state.md.us.

A variety of factors including over-fishing, poor water quality, loss of habitat such as submerged aquatic vegetation and oyster reefs, and changing climatic conditions have contributed to the decline of the Bay’s blue crab population.  Reducing female blue crab harvest is one of many actions taken by the O’Malley Administration to help restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.  Recent successes include strengthening the Critical Area Law to protect the most sensitive and significant shoreline habitats; securing an additional $25 million annually for Bay restoration efforts through the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund; and implementing the BayStat Initiative to track progress and more effectively target our efforts.

“R/V Miss Nancy” Will be Used by Middle School Students for Authentic Bay Investigations.

The christening of the “R/V Miss Nancy,” a 48-foot-long vessel that will be used by NorthBay Adventure Camp in North East, Md., to take classes of students out on the Chesapeake Bay where they will conduct authentic science investigations related to environmental restoration. The vessel will play a key role in NorthBay’s mission of changing children’s lives. The “R/V Miss Nancy” expands NorthBay’s commitment to giving students opportunities to participate authentic science investigations and get them reconnected to the natural world. NorthBay is now operating a full school year program, which makes the Christening of the “R/V Miss Nancy” a next logical expansion component. NorthBay’s mission is to challenge middle school students to realize that their attitudes and actions have a lasting impact on their future, the environment and the people around them by using approved Maryland Department of Education curriculum and the outdoors as an integrating context.

The ceremony occurs on Thursday, April 24, 2008, at 5:30 p.m., at NorthBay, 11 Horseshoe Point Lane, Northeast, MD 21901. John Erickson, chairman and CEO of Erickson Retirement Communities, and his wife Nancy – for whom the vessel is named – will officiate at the christening ceremony. Faculty from George Mason University who are conducting research at NorthBay on the use of technology to aid in connecting students to the environment will be present for the ceremony, as will Baltimore City Public Schools children. The research project will be conducted using Baltimore City Public School students piloting a 20-pound remote-controlled submarine. R/V MISS NANCY is a 48′ x 14′ twin 115hp vessel that has been USCG inspected for 49 (Seating for 44).

NorthBay was established in 2005 by The Erickson Foundation to establish educational opportunities for young people. Through its partnerships with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of Education, NorthBay hosts more than 10,000 middle school students each year. With a full-time staff of more than 100 professionals, NorthBay uses experiential education to instill confidence, knowledge, and leadership in young people and teach them that their actions have a lasting impact on the future. NorthBay is located on more than 97 acres at the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and Susquehanna River in Cecil County, Md.

Environmental Agenda “Most Forward Thinking in Last 20 Years”

On March 3rd, 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley outlined new initiatives to begin restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and the need for a strengthened critical area law.  Standing on the beach in front of the Phillip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Governor O’Malley was joined by Kim Coble, Maryland Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Brad Heavner, State Director of Environment Maryland, among other business, community, and environmental leaders.

“We all recognize that the health of our Bay is at critical crossroads.  In its annual report last year, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation gave the health of the Bay a score of 28 out of 100.  Over the last five years before that the average score was 27,” said Governor O’Malley.  “As One Maryland, we have a choice.  We can continue with the status quo and hope that the health of the Bay begins to improve, or we can take action to strengthen our critical area laws and improve the health of our Bay.”

“The state’s Critical Area Act is a law with the right intention but it has not kept pace with development and is clearly broken. We thank Governor O’Malley for providing the leadership to fix it,” said Ms. Coble. “We also want to acknowledge Governor O’Malley’s environmental agenda this year. Critical Area reform, Energy Efficiency, the Bay Trust Fund, and the Global Warming Solutions Act, together create the most forward thinking agenda we have seen in the last 20 years.”

Governor O’Malley has introduced Senate Bill 844 and House Bill 1253 to update and strengthen Maryland’s critical areas law to ensure more adequate protection of the most environmentally sensitive and significant lands within Maryland’s Chesapeake and Coastal Bays watersheds. The proposed legislation would:

* Restore the Critical Area Commission’s regulatory authority to operate with the same authority as every other agency of State government;
* Significantly strengthen enforcement;
* Provide stronger protection of water quality and wildlife habitats;
* Establish new procedures for processing variances; and
* Require updating of the Critical Area boundary — which has not been adjusted since 1972.

The 1984 critical areas law designated all land within 1,000 feet of the edge of tidal waters and wetlands as “critical area.”  The current 1,000-foot area was identified using 1972 state wetland maps, that are still used today for enforcement and variance allowances by local governments.  Sixty-four local jurisdictions including 16 counties and 48 municipalities comprise land within the critical area.

To prevent houses from being built near the water, the newly updated law will require a 300 foot setback for all new subdivisions in the RCA (Resource Conservation Area) and will require the Critical Area Commission to consider Smart Growth Standards for new growth allocations.  The legislation would also require builders and home improvement contractors to comply with the Critical Area law, and require anyone who builds an illegal structure in the Critical Area to relocate it.

“We need to get serious about protecting the Bay and fix the laws that are good in theory but poor in practice,” said Mr. Heavner.  “The Governor is showing strong leadership on this issue, and I hope legislators are equally up to the task.”

In addition to the Critical Areas law, Governor O’Malley has proposed legislation that would implement the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund and permit the State to aggressively promote transit-oriented development (TOD) as a smart growth tool to revitalize communities and curb sprawl.

In the last year, Governor O’Malley has taken a number of actions to help protect the environment and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, including:

* Created the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund to help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay;
* Led efforts to improve the Chesapeake Bay, signing laws to improve stormwater management and require phosphorus-free detergent, and accepting regional Forest Conservation Agreement;
* Established BayStat to coordinate public, private, non-profit efforts to save the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries;
* Created the Climate Change Commission to develop an action plan to address climate change in Maryland and rising sea levels in the Chesapeake Bay;
* Fought for and signed into law the Clean Cars law to clean our air;
* Launched the EmPOWER Maryland Initiative, setting the most ambitious goal in the nation to decrease per capita energy consumption 15% by 2015;
* Fought sprawl and traffic by blocking the massive Four Seasons development on the Bay, fully funding Program Open Space and restoring Maryland’s leadership in Smart Growth;
* Joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, working with 9 other states to reduce emissions and fight global warming;
* Boosted renewable energy with a law making solar energy more affordable, and the Clean Energy Schools initiative to put solar panels on schools;
* Helped farmers protect the land by keeping farming profitable, investing a record $8 million in cover crop programs and tripled annual budget for MARBIDCO and agricultural innovation; and
* Passed the Oyster Restoration Act to restore oyster population of the Bay.

The Aquaculture Technical Advisory Committee will meet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates

March 18, 2008

Northampton County Former Circuit Court Room
16404 Courthouse Road
Eastville, VA 23347

April 24, 2008

Shore Bank Headquarters
25020 Shore Parkway, Onley, VA 23418

A recent dailypress.com article sharply criticizes the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, calling for sweeping changes of the organization.

The article states:  “Step back and face these facts. Treating Virginia’s marine resources as strictly commercial assets, and allowing them to be plundered, hasn’t worked well. Not for commercial interests, not for the rest of Virginia.”

At the center of the issue are 2 key Chesapeake Bay inhabitants – crabs and oysters.

The commentary notes that “The VMRC and its predecessor agencies have been regulating oysters for more than 120 years. And the oyster population is at 1 percent of its historic levels.

The VMRC has devoted much to the last decade to trying to manage the blue crab harvest. But the crab population has fallen by more than two-thirds since the early 1990s. An expert panel assembled by the agency cites overfishing as a major reason — overfishing that hasn’t been stopped by regulations that are within the agency’s authority.”

The full article is here: http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-ed_vmrc_edit_0214feb14,0,5645475.story

Patuxent River Commissioner and Riverkeeper, Fred Tutman, was honored with the prestigious 2007 Bernie Fowler Award at Maryland’s 12th Annual Tributary Team meeting on February 9. The so-called “White Sneaker Award” is named for Senator Fowler, who initiated the annual Patuxent River wade-ins 20 years ago to test water turbidity and bring attention to declining water quality. The award is given annually to recognize outstanding contributions to Bay health and habitat of a tributary team member.

“From growing up on a farm in Prince George’s County to traveling the world as a journalist, Fred’s life experience has made him uniquely sensitive to the fact that where we come from has a huge impact on how we view and care for our natural resources,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “By communicating and collaborating on both social justice and environmental justice issues, Fred has an extraordinary ability to bring people together – no matter what their background – to act toward our common goal of improving the Bay.”

“We’re fighting collectively not just for the Chesapeake Bay, but for a way for a way of life,” said Tutman upon receiving the award. “We become empowered when we contact our legislators and we are never going to give up.”

In addition to his current Patuxent River responsibilities, for the past two decades Tutman has served as the President of the Conservation Federation of Maryland, President of the Patuxent River Civic Association and a member of DNR’s Outdoor Caucus. He also co-founded the Environmental Fund for Maryland.