In 2026, work on the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project (Mid-Bay Project) includes the construction of stone sills, breakwaters, and other structures. The Mid-Bay project, in partnership with MDOT MPA, includes restoration of 2,072 acres of lost remote island … Continued
In February 2026, Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) notified stakeholders of the the Virginia public oyster fishery that the agency adopted emergency regulatory actions to provide relief following recent ice cover and challenging market conditions. At the February 24th VMRC … Continued
A new Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) study revealed that bowfishing and gigging – using a pronged spear – are the most common ways northern snakehead (Chesapeake Channa) are harvested in Maryland. These methods eclipse hook-and-line, commercial, and departmental … Continued
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced a two-week extension of the 2025-2026 wild oyster season. The extension is intended to help watermen make up for lost harvesting opportunities after many waterways and parts of the Chesapeake Bay … Continued
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, announced $6.9 million in funding from the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program to support 33 partner-led conservation projects in the Chesapeake … Continued
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) recently announced public hearings for the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which will provide the public an opportunity to review the project and submit comments and testimony. The hearings, … Continued
In December, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded $17.7 million in 2026 Countywide Action Plan (CAP) Coordinator and Implementation Grants to county teams across Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to support the Commonwealth’s shared progress in … Continued
On October 2, 2025, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced a new agreement with Constellation Energy to fund and implement operational improvements and environmental projects at the Conowingo Dam. Valued at more than $340 million and negotiated in partnership with Waterkeepers … Continued
Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Old Dominion University (ODU) show an above average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l of oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early and … Continued
The 2025 Maryland benchmark assessment indicates that oyster populations have grown significantly in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay waters over the past 20 years. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science released the summary … Continued