Many parents, mentors, and young anglers braved the cold rain for Maryland’s first youth trout fishing day. Our young anglers, despite cold fingers and wet weather, had a great time, and it is sure to be a day everyone involved will long remember. You can check out our online collection of photos of smiling young Read the Rest…
Maryland’s blue crab season officially opens April 1 in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries and the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays. With the opening of a new season comes an increased presence by Natural Resources Police (NRP) officers to educate the public and enforce laws pertaining to crabbing, particularly with recreational crabbers and Read the Rest…
Anglers have a lot of fishing opportunities to look forward to this week. For our trout anglers under the age of 16, Maryland’s first youth-only trout fishing day occurs this Saturday, March 23. Anglers are still catching white perch in the upper sections of spawning rivers, and largemouth bass, crappie, and blue catfish are providing Read the Rest…
Grants Supports Communities, Land Trusts, and Nonprofits Maryland Environmental Trust has approved 18 grants totaling $236,276 to be awarded for environmental education, community cleanup, and beautification projects through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program. Grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program are awarded to volunteer-based and nonprofit groups, communities, schools, and land trusts in Maryland. The Read the Rest…
The Port of Chestertown Marina recently passed inspection by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and will earn the Maryland Clean Marina Award. This award brings Maryland’s total number of Clean Marinas and Clean Marina Partners to 147 – about 30 percent of the marinas in Maryland. In Kent County, 22 percent of the estimated Read the Rest…
Dozens of events offer safe and free fishing for children and teens The Maryland Department of Natural Resources encourages youths ages 3 to 15 to try their hand at fishing or hone their angling skills at any of Maryland’s 50 youth fishing rodeos spread out across the state this year. The department is working with Read the Rest…
Zeljko Koretic of Baltimore County recognized as a Master Angler Zeljko Koretic of Middle River, Baltimore County, has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch ten different species of fish in Maryland at trophy-size length. Koretic is the seventh Master Read the Rest…
A sewer line renovation and replacement project along Maryland Route 77 will require the temporary closure of some activities in the William Houck Area of Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont starting in April and extending into the summer months. The project, spearheaded by Maryland Environmental Service with cooperation from the Maryland State Highway Administration Read the Rest…
The Conservation Corps is a partnership between the Department of Natural Resources and AmeriCorps Maryland Conservation Corps members gathered at Sandy Point State Park on Tuesday to share stories about why they felt called to serve and what they’ve learned from their work, before setting out for a day of cutting back invasive plants. As Read the Rest…
As we inch closer to spring, anglers are enjoying fishing for a variety of species this week. The white perch spawning runs are in high gear, the preseason stocking of trout is taking place, blue catfish are abundant, and our resident species such as the beautiful chain pickerel are providing plenty of fun fishing opportunities. Read the Rest…
The Board of Public Works today approved the Maryland Department of Natural Resources accepting the donation of Holly Beach Farm, a 293-acre waterfront property in Anne Arundel County, from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “This is a remarkable opportunity for all Marylanders to experience the Chesapeake Bay,” said Gov. Wes Moore. “I offer my thanks to Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct a controlled burn on Warrior Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Allegany County between March 14 and March 29 as weather and other conditions allow. Smoke will be visible in the area north of Oldtown, and residents and visitors should be aware that this is not a Read the Rest…
With record catches around the country tipping the scales at more than a hundred pounds, blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) have become quite the draw for anglers in the Chesapeake Bay. Introduced in the 1970s as a recreational fishing target species in Virginia, invasive blue catfish populations have grown rapidly in Maryland waters. As commercial harvests Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has added a one-week extension to the muskrat trapping season in all counties except Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, and Washington counties. The revised season will now close March 22, 2024 to make up for unfavorable weather conditions. A series of unusually high tides have limited trapper access to many waterways and wetlands, Read the Rest…
March is a transition month – the beginning of spring is perhaps the most visible and dramatic of all seasonal changes within a short span of time. While our public lands and waters offer access to nature all year, March is an especially busy time as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) makes preparations Read the Rest…
At restoration sites, oysters are establishing dense, productive reefs At first, oyster biologists were concerned. Monitoring efforts at some restoration sanctuary reefs in 2022 weren’t pulling up many oysters, even though the sites had previously been performing well. So divers with the Oyster Recovery Partnership went into the water to investigate. What they found there Read the Rest…
Welcome to March and the first signs of spring – including our first fishing report for the 2024 season. Blooming daffodils, departing Canada geese, the arrival of ospreys, and the spring spawning runs of yellow and white perch are happening all around us. Many anglers have been fishing through the winter months due to the Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is set to release thousands of hatchery-raised brown, golden, and rainbow trout across the state in areas temporarily closed to fishing in preparation for opening day on March 30. This year, the start time for fishing in all Closure 1 and Closure 2 areas is 6:30 a.m.
Rashan Hunt is the sixth angler to be recognized as a Master Angler Rashan Hunt of Sparrows Point, Baltimore County, has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch ten different species of fish in Maryland at trophy-size length. Hunt is Read the Rest…
Event takes place two weekends in March The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to come celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park, the weekends of March 9-10 and March 16-17. During this event, held annually for more than 50 years, guests can gather around the Sugar Shack to watch Read the Rest…
First Lady Dawn Moore today celebrated the Global Day of Unplugging by participating in a hike and yoga exercises with state officials and local students at Patapsco Valley State Park in Halethorpe. Joined by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz; Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott; mental health and environmental Read the Rest…
