Natural Resources News
Secretary’s Message – May 2021
May in Maryland – Time for Boats, Birds, and Cicadas!
Spring weather means boating season — and I am among the thousands of Marylanders eager to get out on the water. Heavy traffic is expected again on our waterways as outdoor recreation continues to increase. Keep an eye out for our boater safety reminders this month and throughout the boating season.
May also marks the return of another beloved Maryland tradition — Park Quest. More than 25 Maryland State Parks will offer do-it-yourself outdoor activities now through Oct. 31 for families to experience the vast cultural, historical, and natural resources on our public lands and parks. The theme for this popular program in 2021 will be “Spread Your Wings to Explore Maryland’s State Parks,” with a focus on Maryland’s birds. Read more…
BOEM, Army Corps, and State of Maryland Enter Agreement for Sand Resources
Sand is brought from offshore in for beach replenishment at Ocean City in this 2017 photo. Photo by Joe Andrucyk/Maryland State House
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District (Corps) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources have entered into an agreement allowing the Corps to use sand from the Outer Continental Shelf for scheduled beach nourishment as part of its Atlantic Coast of Maryland Shoreline Protection Project.
The agreement gives the state, working in partnership with the Corps, access to 1.3 million cubic yards of sand for the nourishment of 8.3 miles of beach including 7 miles of sand dunes in Ocean City, Maryland. The beach is a significant economic driver for Ocean City, which boasts more than 8 million visitors annually. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 5
Nicole Anderson is a very happy angler with her impressive catch of a post-spawn striped bass. Photo courtesy of Nicole Anderson
This week holds the promise of fishing for a variety of species. The trout put-and-take areas have been generously stocked and blue catfish and northern snakeheads are very active. Chesapeake Bay anglers are excited to be able to fish for the large post-spawn striped bass as they exit the spawning rivers and head out of the bay for the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Chesapeake Bay is now open for striped bass fishing from Brewerton Channel to the Virginia state line, excluding all bays (other than the main stem), sounds, tributaries, creeks and rivers, except Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound, is open to striped bass fishing for fish 35 inches or larger, with a one fish per person per day creel limit. Further information on areas and dates for striped bass fishing can be found on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
New Maryland Outdoor Recreation Ambassadors Named
Four Baltimore Organizations Help Promote Outdoor Recreation
Two nonprofit organizations and two private businesses have been named Maryland Outdoor Recreation Ambassadors, recognized for their efforts to promote and expand access to the state’s outdoor recreation opportunities.
Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz and Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio named the ambassadors during site visits to their facilities. As part of their responsibilities, the ambassadors will continue working to enhance the state’s status as a leading destination for outdoor recreation. Read more…
May is Boating Safety Month
Maryland’s Waterway Users Get Ready
Maryland’s boating season is on the horizon, and the Maryland Natural Resources Police is encouraging Marylanders to take proper precautions to ensure waterway safety.
In 2020, Maryland had 155 reportable boating accidents; 64 of those accidents caused injuries and six were fatal, resulting in a total seven deaths. These numbers are down from the previous year, where Maryland saw 144 reportable boating accidents, 65 injury accidents and 16 fatal accidents resulting in 20 deaths. Read more…
Chesapeake Bay and Environmental Progress at the Conowingo Dam
Exelon Makes Initial Payments of More than $5.7 Million to Maryland under $200 Million Agreement Incorporated into Dam Relicensing
Photo by Stephen Badger/Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland has received the first payments, totaling more than $5.7 million, under an agreement that requires the owner of the Conowingo Dam to invest in environmental projects and operational enhancements to improve water quality in the Lower Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.
Conowingo Dam owner Exelon Generation Company LLC made payments to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to allow for the start of a series of projects that will play a key role in Maryland’s holistic strategy to improve water quality and accelerate the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. The agreement requires a total of more than $200 million in investments by Exelon, including nearly $107 million in payments to Maryland, over the 50-year term of its recently renewed federal license. Read more…
At Your Service: Natural Resources Professionals Are Standing By
Ranger Cierra Maszkiewicz answering a call at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park
A key function of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing the best information possible to the public we serve. To that end, the department provides a customer service email, customerservice.dnr@maryland.gov, as well as dedicated phone lines, email newsletter subscription services, and social media platforms through which the public can contact the department. Questions or concerns coming into the department are funneled to experts in all of the different department divisions. For example, a question concerning hunting seasons would be forwarded to the Wildlife and Heritage Service, and a question concerning a waterman’s permit would be answered by a licensing and permitting expert in Fishing and Boating Services. Read more…
Tracking the Blue Cat: Learning to Beat the Invasive Fish
Releasing tagged blue catfish
Hidden below the surface of the calm waters of the Patuxent River lies a vast ecosystem. Over time, this aquatic environment has gradually changed, ebbing and flowing like the tide. However, along with natural change, this fragile ecosystem has been disturbed by human activity, very notably within the past century by the arrival and proliferation of invasive species. Read more…
Roots Run Deep: Wood and Water-based Industries Have Long Been Related
The author’s grandfather working on a skipjack (photo courtesy of Tom Bradshaw)
As boat building becomes a dying art, I was recently thinking about my ancestors, all of whom worked in some way with forestry, fisheries, or both. My mother’s father worked on the water as a commercial fisherman, was a farmer, cut pulpwood in his younger years, and built boats in his later years. My father’s family were farmers and sawmill workers and owners. Read more…
Tools of the Trade: Radio Telemetry and GPS Collars for Tracking Black Bears
The author with a bear and three cubs removed from under a deck in Garrett County
The Department of Natural Resources has monitored and researched black bears in Western Maryland since the mid-1980s. One of the most important tools used by Wildlife and Heritage Service managers to follow these bears has been the radio collar. By using both conventional radio collars and the more modern GPS (Global Positioning System) collar, researchers can learn what habitats these wide-roaming animals use both seasonally and annually. Read more…
State Parks DIY: Park Quest and Create Your Own State Parks Programs Return for 2021
By Elton Stokes Jr.
With the arrival of spring and summer, Maryland State Parks are again ready to welcome nature and outdoor enthusiasts throughout the state.
The 14th annual Maryland Park Quest program runs from May 1 through October 31. The 2021 Park Quest theme is Spread Your Wings to Explore Maryland’s State Parks, and many of the quests will help you to learn more about Maryland’s birds! Read more…
Beyond the Call: Bhaskaran Subramanian, Chief of the Shoreline Conservation Service
Maryland Department of Natural Resources employees take pride in the work they do—and they are noted for choosing their profession out of a love for protecting, conserving, and restoring our state’s natural treasures for the benefit of fellow Marylanders.
Many DNR staff members go that extra mile to serve the people of Maryland who enjoy the rewards of our work. DNR senior leadership is highlighting staff members who have been recognized by constituents and their coworkers for going “Beyond the Call.” Read more…
Freshwater Reefs: Fish Habitat Improvements Made in Maryland’s Lakes and Ponds
Deploying reef balls in Lake Habeeb
Habitat and water quality are the two pillars upon which healthy fish populations are built. If either becomes unsuitable, the foundation of the system is unstable, causing fish populations to tumble. Many people are familiar with the importance of clean, well-oxygenated water for fish, but an abundance of quality habitat is just as crucial. Read more…
Fulfilling the Promise
The State of Maryland makes a customer service promise: every state agency pledges to provide constituents, businesses, customers, and stakeholders with friendly and courteous, timely and responsive, accurate and consistent, accessible and convenient, and truthful and transparent services. Read more…
Outside Perspective
As we continue to recover from the pandemic, I am more enthused than ever to welcome back spring. And the first full month of spring is dedicated to one of our most important resources: trees. Read more…
Update Regarding Maryland’s Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation
UPDATED May 14, 2021
Maryland is taking decisive action to address COVID-19. The Hogan administration’s highest priority is keeping Marylanders safe. Find the latest information on Maryland’s covidLINK website.
For all outdoor activities, continue to follow CDC guidance.
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