In September 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced that Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) has received approval to acquire 758 acres for $2.235 million. The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge project will conserve over 2,500 acres of priority … Continued
Shad abundance has surged in four Chesapeake Bay rivers, surpassing the restoration goals set by the Chesapeake Bay Program in the Potomac and Rappahannock. The Bay Program tracks the abundance of American shad in the James, Potomac, Rappahannock, Susquehanna and … Continued
In 2014, Chesapeake Bay Program partners opened 17 boat ramps, fishing piers, and other sites that allow the public to access rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia opened 14 sites, while Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York each opened one. … Continued
In April 2015, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received reports of northern snakehead fish caught from private ponds in Wicomico and Queen Anne’s counties. While surveying the pond in Wicomico County, DNR biologists found three adult snakeheads. A … Continued
New artificial reef construction projects are underway in the Chesapeake Bay, according to the United States Coast Guard. Love Point Fish Haven Approximately 1350 tons of concrete columns and slab will be added in the Southeast Quadrant of the Love … Continued
In March, 2015, the Chesapeake Conservancy announced the launch of its latest wildlife webcam featuring downtown Baltimore’s famous peregrine falcons. Located on the 33rd-floor ledge of the Transamerica skyscraper at 100 Light Street in downtown Baltimore, the live stream will … Continued
The Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River is at about 92 percent capacity for sediment storage according to new U.S. Geological Survey research. Since the dam’s construction in 1929, sediment and nutrients have been building up behind it, being … Continued
A new website and smartphone app will help Maryland-area anglers collect and share data about Chesapeake Bay sport fish. Chesapeake Catch is a project led by Maryland-area anglers to gather voluntary information from all anglers to better inform themselves and … Continued
The reservoir behind the Conowingo Dam is trapping smaller amounts of sediment and has essentially reached its limit to trap in the long term, according to a Lower Susquehanna River Watershed Assessment. However, a large majority of the pollution to … Continued
Initially introduced for sportfishing in several Virginia tributaries, blue and flathead catfish are considered invasive in the Chesapeake Bay. Since their introduction, their range and population have increased dramatically. Blue catfish and flathead catfish are now top predators in several … Continued