The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office has released a brief document highlighting progress under way in research projects that focus on the ecosystem services provided by restored oyster reefs. The 2016 Oyster Reef Ecosystem Services (ORES) Research Update includes details on: … Continued
The 2016 mid-summer Chesapeake Bay hypoxic low-oxygen zone or “dead zone” will be approximately 1.58 cubic miles, roughly average, according to a two university study sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The nutrient loading, from the mouth … Continued
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy of Maryland/DC recently announced the completion of a Coastal Resiliency Assessment on existing natural features that protect coastal residential communities in the state. The study identified areas that reduce the … Continued
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) recently released its 2016 Weakfish Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report. The assessment indicates that weakfish is depleted and has been for the past 13 years. The assessment indicates some positive signs … Continued
An annual survey led by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) shows that the abundance of underwater grasses in Chesapeake Bay increased 21% between 2014 and 2015, from 75,835 acres to 91,621 acres. VIMS tracks the abundance … Continued