Chesapeake Bay News

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently released the results from 2011 From the Bay, For the Bay Dine Out. Through a collaborative partnership among regional restaurants, DNR and the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP), the week-long celebration raised $20,240 to support Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration.

More than 170 restaurants in Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia participated in the promotion, which took place October 2-9, 2011. The restaurants donated $1 from every Maryland seafood dinner sold during the week; the money is being donated to ORP to support oyster restoration efforts.

Top participating restaurants included the Boatyard Bar & Grill in Annapolis, Woodberry Kitchen and Ryleigh’s Oyster Bar in Baltimore, and Matchbox Restaurants in Washington, DC. Together they donated $5,626.

ORP’s oyster restoration activities include collecting, aging, cleaning oyster shells and planting spat (baby oysters), on the oyster shells. The spat is produced by the University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Hatchery.

The Oyster Recovery Partnership’s most publically-recognized program – the region’s oyster Shell Recycling Alliance – is made up of nearly 100 restaurants, caterers and seafood distributors from the mid-Atlantic region, as well as citizen volunteers who collect donated used oyster shells from these businesses to aid in restoring the Chesapeake Bay.

The Shell Recycling Alliance has quickly grown to provide 15 percent of Maryland’s shell needs at current oyster production levels, prolonging the State’s limited shell reserves. For more information on the Oyster Recovery Partnership, visit oysterrecovery.org.

source: MD DNR

An important new scientific assessment of the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab stock has been released by the federal government, setting higher abundance thresholds and crab population targets that will dictate how the agency manages the fisheries in the years to come.

A new scientific assessment of the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab population indicates significantly more work needs to be done to fully rebuild the stock to sustainable levels. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessment,  although the stock has increased substantially in response to three years of rebuilding efforts by Virginia, Maryland and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, the stock was more depleted than originally believed and will take longer to rebuild than had been expected.

The assessment, which sets a new overfishing threshold as well as a new safe abundance level for female crabs, took three years to complete and represents the best available science on the stock’s reproductive capabilities, lifespan, gender and size distributions. The assessment underwent rigorous scientific scrutiny in a peer review by Dr. Julian Addison of France, Dr. Cathy Dichmont of Australia and Dr. Billy Ernst of Chile.

Until now, fishery managers used an interim target of 200 million total adult crabs in the bay as the threshold of a healthy stock and considered overfishing to occur if 53 percent of adult (age 1+) crabs were harvested in a year. Regulations were established to meet these benchmarks, which were based on 2005 bay-wide crab assessment data.

The new stock assessment sets a new healthy-species abundance level of 215 million female crabs, with overfishing occurring if 34 percent of the female crabs are harvested in a year.  Put into context, this means that fishery managers have only come close to achieving this level of female abundance three times over the past 22 years, in 2010, 1993 and 1991.

These more stringent assessments of the stock’s health will allow fishery managers to set more precise female harvest limits in order to fully rebuild the stock.  Virginia, Maryland and the PRFC remain committed to working together to rebuild the bay’s crab population to meet the new female population threshold and abundance target.

In September the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee will meet to consider the new assessment, examine data from the past two years and provide management recommendations to Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission.

The bay-wide crab harvest in 2010 was in the 90 million-pound range, confirming that a healthy harvesting industry can coexist with regulations designed to rebuild a self-sustaining, healthy blue crab population.

Through a historic collaboration in 2008, Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission took strong, coordinated action to reduce harvest pressure on female crabs by 34 percent. At that time, scientists deemed conservation measures necessary as blue crab suffered near historic lows in spawning stock.

“Overall, crabs in the bay are doing well. Implementing recommendations developed in the stock assessment, like focusing fishing regulations on female crabs, will help even more,” said Dr. Tom Miller, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, lead author of the stock assessment.

The stock assessment can be viewed in its entirety at http://hjort.cbl.umces.edu/crabs/Assessment.html

source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission/Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is partnering with dozens of restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania to promote Maryland seafood for a week-long celebration called “From the Bay, For the Bay Dine Out.”

The promotion will run October 2–9, 2011, with more than 150 restaurants already committed to participate. DNR anticipates that more than 300 total restaurants will take part in the celebration.

During the promotion, restaurants will feature unique presentations of fresh Maryland Seafood. Each restaurant has agreed to donate a dollar from every Maryland seafood dinner sold during the week to the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a non-profit organization working to rebuild the Chesapeake Bay’s native oyster population.

“October is prime time for Maryland seafood with many delicious fish and shellfish in season, including striped bass, blue crabs, oysters, flounder, dogfish, bluefish, lobsters and scallops,” said Tom O’Connell, DNR Fisheries Service director. “One of the key components of our From the Bay, For the Bay celebration is to encourage people from all over the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to try and enjoy the delicious seafood our State has to offer.”

For more information please visit dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fromthebay/

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Clean Marina Program has launched a contest to determine the 2011 Maryland Clean Marina of the Year.

Anyone can nominate a Clean Marina for the award (except program staff and contest sponsors). Nominations will be accepted through December based on services performed at the marinas during 2011. The goal is to hear from boaters, marine contractors, staff, and citizens about Maryland Clean Marinas that are excelling in their efforts to run a clean facility.

Winner(s) will be chosen by the Clean Marina Program based on demonstrated excellence in:

* Overall cleanliness of the facility (indoors and outdoors);

* Environmental services offered (recycling liquid and/or solid waste, pump-outs, vacuum sanders, pet waste pick up bags, absorbent pads at the fuel dock, etc.);

* Communicating and enforcing “clean marina” practices and goals to customers and contractors through rules, signs, and services.

Maryland launched the first Clean Marina Program in the United States in 1998 and to date has certified 143 facilities as Clean Marinas or Clean Marina

Partners. DNR has created this contest to celebrate the excellent work of these small businesses to protect our natural resources and comply with complex regulations.

Prizes for the Clean Marina of the Year Contest are being solicited from companies that provide marine services and products that can help Maryland Clean

Marinas protect our natural resources and/or comply with environmental regulations. The acceptance of donated prizes from any company is not an endorsement of that product or service by either the Maryland Clean Marina Program or the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Any company interested in donating a prize to the Maryland Clean Marina of the Year Contest should contact Donna Morrow at dmorrow@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8773.

Complete contest rules and a current list of Maryland Clean Marinas and Clean Marina Partners are available on line at

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/cleanmarina/

source: MD DNR

The recreational yellow perch fishing season is expected to peak in Maryland as water temperatures in the tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake begin to warm.

Yellow perch are found in 10- to 30-foot depths in many rivers of the bay in preparation for their spawning run. Water temperatures in the tributaries are now in the upper 30s and will soon hit the 40 degree threshold, which will trigger the start of yellow perch spawning.

Anglers are enjoying spectacular fishing for yellow perch in several locations, including the Cedars in Allen’s Fresh, the channel edge off the Logan’s Wharf condominiums at Perryville on the Susquehanna River, Northeast River, Nanjemoy Creek, and the deep holes in the Chester River near Crumpton.

“This, by far, is the absolute best yellow perch fishing we’ve had out here in years,” said Captain Mike Benjamin from Herb’s Tackle Shop in Northeast.  “The yellow perch fishing in The Susquehanna River is as good as I’ve ever seen it.”

Yellow Perch will begin moving from the deeper, staging areas to the shallow waters as the weather warms. This will give recreational anglers the opportunity to fish from the shoreline.

Yellow perch fishing is open year round in Maryland waters with a nine-inch minimum size and ten fish per day limits in tidal waters. Fishing for yellow perch is the perfect family activity. A minimal investment in gear, rod, reel, size 10 hooks, bobbers and a bucket of minnows will provide anglers with the essentials.

On March 5, Yellow Perch Appreciation Day will be held at the Northeast Town Park, a state free-fishing area where fishing licenses are not required. Prizes will be awarded.

DNR welcomes yellow perch anglers to join the online volunteer angler survey— www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/survey/ to support the agency’s goal of sustainable fisheries management.

Anglers can register their yellow perch fishing trip information to win a chance for an ultra light rod and reel outfit from Bass Pro Shops. Angler’s can also share their catch on DNR’s Angler’s Log www.dnr.Maryland.gov/fisheries/log

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

According to the State’s recently completed fall oyster survey, the number of spat or baby oysters in Maryland waters is at its highest level since 1997, the survival rate for young oysters is also up, and more Marylanders are looking to start up or expand aquaculture businesses.

Since 1939, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its predecessor agencies have monitored the status of Maryland’s oyster population via annual field surveys. The survey tracks three critical components of the population: Spatfall Intensity, which measures reproduction levels (recruitment) and offers a window into future population levels; disease infection levels; and annual mortality rates of oysters.

The 2-month 2010 fall population assessment, which encompassed 260 oyster bars and 399 samples throughout the Bay and its tributaries, concluded on December 18.  At nearly 80 spat (baby oysters) per bushel, the 2010 spatfall is the highest since 1997, and about 5 times the 25-year average of 16.

Eleven of the 53 oyster bars included in this index had their highest or second highest spat counts since 1985.  The elevated spatfall was a coast-wide phenomenon, with other mid-Atlantic states also reporting better than average numbers.

Equally encouraging was wide distribution of spat throughout the Bay and its tributaries: While the heaviest counts were in the lower Bay’s higher salinity areas, where reproduction is typically more successful, a moderate spatfall also occurred in lower salinity areas that generally receive little to no spat sets at all.  These included the upper Bay as far north as Pooles Island and the upper reaches of the Chester, Choptank and Patuxent River tributaries. Due to reduced disease pressure, oysters historically have good survivorship in these areas, some of which are now protected sanctuaries under the State’s new oyster plan.

Even more encouraging news for the beleaguered oyster is that the frequency and intensity of diseases remains low, based on December’s interim report from the Paul S. Sarbanes Cooperative Oxford Lab.  Of the two diseases that have devastated populations for decades, Dermo, although still widely distributed, remains below the long-term average for the eighth consecutive year, and MSX appears to again be in retreat after an advance in 2009. View chart.

The survey indicates that oyster survivorship — the percentage of oysters found alive in a sample — was at 88 percent, the highest level since 1985, before diseases put a stranglehold on the population; this is more than double 2002 when record disease levels left only 42 percent of Maryland’s population alive. Scientists are hopeful that favorable mortality in recent years may reflect an increase in disease resistance.

Last year, the State of Maryland adopted regulations to implement a new Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development Plan. The plan increased Maryland’s network of oyster sanctuaries from 9 percent to 24 percent of remaining quality habitat; increased areas open to leasing for oyster aquaculture, and established a $2.2 million financial assistance program for aquaculture interests; and maintained 76 percent of the Bay’s remaining quality oyster habitat for a more targeted, sustainable, and scientifically managed public oyster fishery.

Since last fall 26 Marylanders have applied for 35 new leases to grow oysters and the State has received 27 applications for more than $2 million in available funding for start up and expansion of aquaculture businesses.  Blue crab disaster funds are being used to support the program.

In a coordinated effort among the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the University of Maryland, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay office and DNR, over 2.5 billion hatchery produced spat have been produced and planted in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay since 2000, and thousands of acres of buried shell have been reclaimed from derelict oyster reefs.

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.

source: MD DNR press release

Governor Martin O’Malley has proposed $25 million in fiscal year 2012 funding for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, a 25 percent increase over 2011. The dedicated fund supports projects designed to reduce non-point source pollution that reaches the Chesapeake Bay.

“Even during these difficult fiscal times, Maryland has been able to strengthen our efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay,” said Governor O’Malley. “With 90 percent of these funds being directed for projects and infrastructure that will employ installers, designers, engineers and construction services, the Trust Fund will not only help us achieve our restoration commitments, but will create jobs and support local economies.”

Established in November 2007, the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund was created to provide a dedicated source of funding to accelerate Bay restoration by focusing resources on practices that are the most cost efficient and are targeted to the areas where pollution reductions will be the most effective.

The Trust Fund is made up of monies generated through motor fuel tax and rental car tax in Maryland. Now in its third year, the Fund has targeted a total of $38.4 million to date for projects that reduce non-point source pollution: $20 million in fiscal year 2011; $8.81 million in fiscal year 2010; and $9.6 million in fiscal year 2009. It is anticipated that when fully-funded, the Trust Fund will generate $50 million annually.

In addition to supporting Maryland’s commitment to cover crops and planting trees in targeted areas across the State, the Trust Fund will direct $6.2 million to local communities to assist in clean-up of local rivers and streams.

Prince George’s County will receive $2.88 million to construct a large-scale urban stream restoration in the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River.

Other projects to be funded include:

* $1.2 million to Howard County and the Columbia Association for stormwater retrofits and forest buffer restoration in the Little Patuxent watershed

* $640,000 to Baltimore County and Herring Run Watershed Association for stormwater retrofits and forest buffer restoration in Back River.

* $500,000 to Harford County to construct four stormwater management projects in Wheel Creek.

* $463,000 to Anne Arundel County to construct and monitor an innovative sand seepage stream restoration in a subwatershed of the Magothy River.

* $290,000 to the Sassafras River Association to install wetlands and pilot poultry manure incorporation within the watershed.

* $250,000 to Centreville to manage stormwater at the local wastewater treatment plant in the Corsica River watershed.

Maryland’s agencies, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association worked together to maximize available Bay restoration dollars.

The complete SFY 2012 Workplan and supporting materials can be found at: http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/ccp/funding/trust_fund.asp.

source: MD DNR

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting three Clean Marina Roundtable workshops for marina and boatyard operators.

The roundtables will discuss Maryland’s Clean Marina Initiative, a voluntary program that promotes and celebrates efforts of marinas, boatyards and yacht clubs to reduce their pollution. Free copies of the Clean Marina Guidebook, award checklists and educational materials for boaters and staff will be provided. Participants will network with local Clean Marina managers and program staff to learn how they can meet award criteria.

“Although attending a workshop isn’t required to become a Clean Marina, it’s the best way for marina operators to learn about the program in a short amount of time,” said Donna Morrow, DNR’s Clean Marina Administrator. “By networking with other marina operators, participants will hear about practical ways to become a Clean Marina. Maryland’s waterways need everyone doing their part and the Clean Marina program is a tangible way for marinas to help.”

Dates and Locations:

January 11, Spring Cove Marina, Solomons
January 13, Port Annapolis Marina, Annapolis
January 20, Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort, Georgetown

All roundtables will run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and there is no charge to attend. Weather permitting, a tour of the host facility will follow the roundtable discussion. In addition to helping reduce pollution and protect our waterways, Clean Marinas often enjoy discounted insurance rates, reduced clean up costs and improved relations within their community. All marine facilities are encourage to participate and seek the award.

Marine facilities of any size are encouraged to pursue the Maryland Clean Marina Award. To qualify, a facility must meet all permitting requirements and adopt a significant portion of recommendations from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook.

DNR staff and mentors offer assistance and site visits to marinas pursuing the award. They are re-certified every three years. To date, 143 facilities (roughly 23 percent of Maryland marinas) have achieved the designation.

Advanced registration is requested as space is limited. Marina managers may register by sending an email to dmorrow@dnr.state.md.us and indicating which roundtable they wish to attend. The roundtables are for operators and staff of Maryland marine facilities and not for product demonstrations, solicitation, or similar purposes. Information on the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative can be found at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/cleanmarina/ or by contacting Donna Morrow at dmorrow@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8773.

source: MD DNR

Proposed rules regulating the advertising of “local” foods have been published in the Maryland Register for public comment. The regulations were drafted by MDA as part of a law which seeks to bring clarity to consumers as to what constitutes local.

“With the increased interest in buying local and the current lack of agreement on defining local, we feel it is paramount that consumers have the information they need to make informed decisions about their food purchases,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance.  “If advertising a food product as ‘local’, the proposed regulations will require businesses to disclose the origin of their product and consumers can make their own determination if a food advertised as ‘local’ meets their standard.”

The law authorizes the Secretary to regulate the use of the terms “local” or “locally grown” when used to advertise agricultural and seafood products.  It aims to support Maryland farmers and provide transparency to consumers interested in purchasing local foods by informing Marylanders about their local foods purchases.

In recent years, interest in locally produced foods has surged, leading to the rapid growth of farmer’s markets, and the appearance of Maryland products in restaurants and grocery stores.  However, there has been little agreement as to the definition of “local” foods.  A task force of farmers, retail representatives, consumer advocates, and other interested stakeholders provided input for the proposal.

The 2010 Policy Choices Survey by the University of Baltimore Schaefer Center for Public Policy found that 78 percent of Marylanders are more likely to buy produce that is identified as having been grown by a Maryland farmer.

source:  Maryland Department of Agriculture

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund has approved a project at Wicomico County’s Nanticoke Harbor totaling $1,605,000. The project includes maintenance dredging 13,600 yards of material and repairing two existing stone jetties totaling 1,373 feet in length.

“This project is beneficial to the commercial and recreational boating citizens of Wicomico County and visitors who use Nanticoke Harbor,” said Gary Mackes, Director of Wicomico Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

Dredging will make the harbor more accessible to recreational and commercial boats that use the facility. Currently, some boats must wait to come and go at high tide to avoid running aground in the shallow channel. Rebuilding the stone jetties will help to keep sediment from accumulating in the harbor. Over the years the jetties have settled, reducing their effectiveness. This also means they are covered by water in high tides, rendering them a hazard to anyone not familiar with their location.

The dredging will begin immediately, followed by the reconstruction of the stone jetties. The project could be completed by the end of March. The contract was awarded to Corman Marine Construction.

This project is funded entirely by the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is funded by the five percent excise fee boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland.

Bob Gaudette, Director of DNR’s Boating Services, said jobs like the Nanticoke Harbor project support marine contractors.

“It really is a stimulus program for those in the marina industry. Contractors have indicated to me they would have laid off employees without the projects,” said Gaudette.

To learn more about DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/boating.

source: MD DNR