Chesapeake Bay News

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a reminder to Marylanders that new sanctuaries are in effect for this year’s oyster season, which begins October 1. According the agency, Natural Resources Police (NRP) officers will be out on the water, patrolling sanctuaries and stepping up enforcement.

The Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development plan increases Maryland’s network of oyster sanctuaries from 9 percent to 24 percent of remaining quality habitat; increases areas open to leasing for oyster aquaculture and streamlines the permitting process; and maintains 76 percent of the Bay’s remaining quality oyster habitat for a more targeted, sustainable, and scientifically managed public oyster fishery.

In addition to any points assigned to the license, conviction of harvesting oysters from a leased area, an oyster sanctuary, oyster reserve, or area closed for public health will result in suspension of a person’s tidal fish license or authorization for up to 365 days during the oyster harvest season.

To mitigate short-term economic impacts to the industry, DNR is developing watermen work programs to facilitate restoration efforts. Funding for these efforts comes from $15 million of federal blue crab fishery disaster money and state capital funds. Watermen assisted DNR in rehabilitating oyster bar habitat and retrieving ghost (abandoned) crab pots this past winter. Additional oyster bar rehabilitation work will be available for watermen this winter.

source: MD DNR

In July, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) formally dedicated the Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park. Attending the ceremony were members of the Burton family, DNR Deputy Secretary Joe Gill, representatives of the Fisheries Service, Maryland Park Service and other invited guests.

The park is now officially dedicated to Bill Burton, an outdoors reporter, writer and fisherman who chronicled outdoor activities in Maryland for over half a century.

At the dedication ceremony, members of Bill’s family including his wife, Lois, and daughter, Heather, each spoke about his lasting legacy and dedication to Maryland’s many natural resources.

The Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park is a fitting tribute to Bill’s life and work, as he was instrumental in preserving the Choptank River Bridge for use as a fishing pier when the new bridge was constructed.

The park is a destination fishing spot for anglers and a popular access point for many working families of Maryland because of the variety of fish that can be caught there, including perch, striped bass, hardheads, sea trout and catfish.

The dedication took place nearly one year to the date from when the Board of Public Works approved the renaming of the Choptank River fishing piers in Talbot and Dorchester counties on July 22, 2009. Sadly, less than a month after the renaming, Bill passed away at age 82 on August 10, 2009.

“Bill is an iconic figure in Maryland’s outdoor history, having reported for over 50 years on outdoor opportunities for Maryland citizens,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “The Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park is a wonderful tribute to a man who spent his life’s work sharing information about the bountiful natural resources our state has to offer.”

Portions of the Bill Burton Fishing Pier were closed for several months to replace over 700 broken, cracked and hazardous handrails with new concrete rails. During this time, the Maryland Park Service also upgraded park benches and picnic tables. The Dorchester section of the pier was closed first and reopened, and then the Talbot section of the Pier was closed and reopened Friday for fishing and crabbing.

The Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park is now open 365 days per year, 24 hours per day. Both sections of the piers are lighted for night fishing from April 1 through December 31 and the Dorchester County side of the pier is open and lighted year round. The pier adjoins Sailwinds Park via the walkway under the bridge.

Source: MD DNR press release

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Marine Trades Association of Maryland will hold a forum July 8 in Annapolis to offer an opportunity to learn more about the new General Discharge Permit for Boat and Vessel Maintenance. The forum is intended for operators of facilities that perform or allow boat repair.

MDE is reviewing appropriate changes to the General Permit for Discharges for Marinas. Changes to the permit address and update requirements related to bottom paints and wash water. Maryland’s waters must be protected from toxicity that could compromise aquatic life and public health now and in the future.

DNR’s Clean Marina Program and the Marine Trades Association of Maryland are assisting in the process by providing technical expertise and experience, and will provide ongoing compliance assistance.

Attendees will learn about the active ingredients in bottom paints from several paint representatives as well as how marina discharges are handled in other states. This forum is not a “public hearing” as no draft determination of the permit has been proposed for public comment. Rather, the forum is a chance to hear why changes are being discussed and to get industry suggestions to best meet new water quality standards.

The forum will run from 1:00 to 4:00p.m. July 8 in the meeting hall of the Calvary Methodist Church on at 301 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis. There is no cost and operators of businesses that conduct—or allow—boat repair work on site are strongly encouraged to attend.

To register contact the Marine Trades Association of Maryland at susan@mtam.org or by calling 410-269-0741.

For more information on Maryland’s Clean Marina Program visit:

www.dnr.maryland.gov/boating/cleanmarina

source: MD DNR

Maryland released its annual Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card on May 18, 2010. The Chesapeake Bay showed broad water quality improvements in 2009, receiving its highest mark since 2002 from the annual Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card. At the same time, the state launched StreamHealth, a website to help Marylanders learn about the health of their streams and take action to improve them.

The report card — an annual analysis conducted through the EcoCheck partnership between University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office — is based on data collected by state and federal agencies through the Chesapeake Bay Program. The 2009 report noted improved conditions in eight Bay regions and degraded conditions in two, earning the Bay a grade of “C” for overall health.

Grades for 14 reporting Bay regions varied, ranging from “B-minus” (moderate-good) to “F” (very poor). The highest ranked region, for the third year in a row, was the Upper Western Shore, which includes the Bush and Gunpowder Rivers. The lowest ranked region was the Patapsco and Back Rivers.

Scientists attribute the overall improvements to last year’s unique regional rainfall patterns, continued efforts to reduce nutrient pollution within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the gradual rebound in Bay health since the historically poor conditions observed in 2003.  Over the report’s 24-year history, overall Bay health was rated at its highest in 1993 with a score of 57, and it lowest in 2003 with a score of 35. The 2009 rating of 46 falls in the top 25 percentile.

“Despite the record high rainfall in parts of Maryland and Virginia, the mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay improved last year,” said UMCES researcher and project leader Dr. William Dennison. “Normally, more precipitation means poorer Bay health. But last year, the Bay benefited from below average rainfall throughout Pennsylvania which appears to have reduced the amount of pollutants reaching the open waters of the mainstem Bay.”

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

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

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service has set the dates and locations for two rescheduled public scoping meetings to present upcoming recreational summer flounder fishing regulations. The original meetings were postponed due to the recent snow storms. These will be the best remaining opportunities for stakeholders to ask questions and register comments on the Department’s proposal for size, creel, and season limits for the 2010 season.

The first meeting will be at 6:00 p.m. Monday February 22 at the Tawes Building Room C-1, 580 Taylor Avenue in Annapolis. This flounder scoping meeting we be a part of the Sportfish Advirsory Commision meeting. The second and last public scoping meeting for summer flounder will be at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury on at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday March 2, in Guerrieri Hall room 101.

The results of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Flounder Management Board meeting on February 2 require a 23.6 percent reduction in recreational fishing pressure in Maryland due to an overage in last year’s catch. However, an apparent improvement in the total fish population allows for an increase in the allowable catch from 61,000 fish to 75,000. The problem is, Maryland anglers apparently harvested as many as 89,000 last year and must reduce their harvest to meet the 2010 target of 75,000 fish.

ASMFC did not approve of splits in minimum sizes and creel limits for coastal and Bay anglers as Maryland has used in the past because the sample sizes and available data have been inadequate for effective monitoring and assessment. Therefore, the options come down to a consistent increase in minimum size and creel limits for the coast and the Bay combined with a choice of options for the timing of the open seasons. There is some good news in this because the minimum size is increasing, DNR may be able to extend the season.

The options on the table include three fish a day of 18.5 inches or more from April 17 to September 21, or the same minimum size with a season of April 24 to September 24, or June 8 to October 16. The fourth option would raise the minimum to 19 inches and extend the season April 17 to November 22.

If you are unable to join DNR staff at one of the two scoping meetings and would like to register a comment, please send your thoughts to fisheriespubliccomments@dnr.state.md.us and include “summer Flounder” in the subject line. You may also fax your comment to Carrie Kennedy at (410) 260-8279.

source: NOAA press release

Nearly 1,000 interested citizens have taken the time to review and comment on Maryland’s Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development plan since Maryland announced the new proposal in December. About half of those who provided input did so at four open houses hosted by Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Fisheries Service during the month of January.

“The open houses were an integral part of our public process,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “Hundreds of Marylanders took the opportunity to learn about the plan, talk directly to managers, give suggestions and voice their opinions – and every single comment is being reviewed.”

Participants in the outreach sessions included watermen concerned about a change in regulations, participants in Maryland’s citizen oyster-growing program that are eager to improve the oyster population. people interested in learning more about aquaculture opportunities, and Marylanders who would like to see the sanctuary network expanded further than the plan proposes.

“While the overwhelming majority of comments have been supportive of the plan, we are reviewing all public input, and are also actively working with stakeholders from the industry, sport fishing and environmental communities. We entered the process with a willingness to consider modifications to the proposal if the changes mitigate concerns and still achieve the Department’s objectives,” said DNR Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell.

DNR has extended the schedule to allow adequate review of public comments, and currently plans to submit the Governor’s regulatory proposal in March. A final round of public hearings will occur in April and May. After considering all public comments, DNR will then adopt a final version of the proposed restoration and aquaculture development plan. If adopted, the regulation could be effective as soon as June 28, 2010.

As proposed, the plan will: increase Maryland’s network of oyster sanctuaries — from 9 percent to 24 percent of remaining quality habitat; increase areas open to leasing for oyster aquaculture and streamline the permitting process; and maintain 76 percent of the Bay’s remaining quality oyster habitat for a more targeted, sustainable, and scientifically managed public oyster fishery.

Since 1994, the Chesapeake Bay oyster population has languished at 1 percent of historic levels. Over the past 25 years, the amount of suitable oyster habitat has declined by 80 percent—from 200,000 acres to just 36,000 acres. Maryland’s annual oyster harvest has fallen from an average of 2.5 million bushels in the late 1960s to about 100,000 bushels a year since 2002, while the number of oystermen working Maryland’s portion of the Bay has dwindled from more than 2000 to just 550.

“Throughout this process, our goal and the goal of Governor O’Malley has been to protect jobs today while creating a more sustainable and growing future, both for oysters and our struggling industry,” said Secretary Griffin. “This is why the plan maintains significant opportunities to harvest wild oysters while also helping to stabilize and revive oyster populations, and provide a bridge for watermen interested in new aquaculture opportunities.”

To mitigate short-term economic impacts to the industry, DNR is developing watermen work programs to facilitate restoration efforts. Funding for these efforts comes from $15 million of federal blue crab fishery disaster money and state capital funds, received in response to a request from Governor O’Malley and former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and advocacy by the Maryland Congressional Delegation. Watermen will be assisting the Department in rehabilitating oyster bar habitat and retrieving ghost (abandoned) crab pots this winter.

Aquaculture is now the predominant means of shellfish harvesting around the world; next door in Virginia it is already a $30 million business. University of Maryland economists estimate that over the next several years, our oyster aquaculture plan could create 225 full-time equivalent jobs and generate $25 million in annual economic impact.

Public comments by email or regular mail can be submitted to:

fisheriespubliccomment@dnr.state.md.us

Fisheries Service
Attn: Oyster Open House
Tawes State Office Building
580 Taylor Ave
Annapolis, MD 21401

The full open house poster presentation is available at: http://dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/oysters/pdfs/OysterOpenHouseFINAL2a.pdf.

source: DNR press release

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking interested adults to become TEAM (Teaching Environmental Awareness in Maryland) volunteers. “Our volunteers’ mission is to educate students about the Chesapeake Bay and other Maryland environmental issues,” said TEAM DNR Coordinator Amy Henry.

Since its inception in 1998, TEAM DNR volunteers have delivered 1,000 classroom programs to more than 30,000 students in Maryland.

Volunteers should have an out-going personality and a strong desire to protect the Chesapeake Bay. No prior teaching experience is necessary. Currently, TEAM offers schools free classroom programs on the following topics:

• Chesapeake Bay Watershed
• Streams
• Oyster Reefs
• Horseshoe Crabs
• Chesapeake Watermen

The next workshop will be held as follows:

• Friday, February 19, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Friday, February 26, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 5, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

All workshops will be held in the lobby conference room of the Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland.

Participants are asked to bring their own lunch. Beverages and snacks will be provided.

To register for a workshop, contact Amy Henry at 410.260.8828 or ahenry@dnr.state.md.us. For more information about TEAM DNR, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/education/teamdnr.

source: DNR press release

On October 9, 2009, the Maryland Task Force on Fishery Management presented the findings of its 2-year study of the State’s fishery management process at the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Foundation’s  Summit in Annapolis. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service has already implemented several of the Task Force’s recommendations and is in the process of adopting others.

“I want to congratulate all the members of the Task Force on their success, with special thanks to Chairman Tom Lewis for leading the effort,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “This is important work that will have a significant impact on the management of our State’s fisheries, now and in the future.”

Governor O’Malley worked with the Maryland General Assembly to create the Task Force during the 2007 legislative session, and the group began its work the following November. The Task Force’s recommended changes to policy and regulation included a spending plan for priority areas such habitat protection, stock assessment and enforcement, and mechanisms to engage stakeholders. The spending plan is linked directly to the increased revenue from the license fee bill of 2007.

“This was a hugely challenging undertaking that required unprecedented collaboration between our Fisheries staff and our valued stakeholders,” said Secretary Griffin.  “We couldn’t be more pleased with the results and are grateful to the stakeholders who dedicated their time and expertise to the effort.”

“Our continued pursuit and implementation of the Task Force’s recommendations will surely lead us towards an improved management process and sustainable fisheries resources that will be enjoyed by today and future generations,” added Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell.

DNR is in the process of implementing additional recommendations and will be working with the Governor and the 2010 legislature to move changes forward.

source: DNR press release

“The Task Force was important for reasons that don’t appear in the headlines; for the fundamentals of gathering data, evaluating data and incorporating that data into fishery management plans,” said Chairman Thomas B. Lewis. “Our work went to the fundamentals of fisheries planning, management and enforcement rather than the hot issues of the day.“

DNR’s Fisheries Service will continue to refine and put into place the findings and recommendations with the help of the Sport Fisheries and Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commissions.

For a complete list of the Task Force Members and their affiliations go to: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/taskforce/membership.html

source: DNR press release