Natural Resources News
Maryland Fishing Report – May 26
Angler Hajime Toya caught this 21.7-inch largemouth bass recently at Pine Lake, Montgomery County.
The Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and families and friends will be celebrating with picnics and family gatherings in the great outdoors. We should all take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the occasion and remember those who sacrificed everything to assure us the freedoms we all enjoy. Many Marylanders and visitors will be enjoying a long weekend traveling to beaches and our state and local parks. Warmer water temperatures will have many species of fish ready and waiting for them.
Please join us May 27 at noon for a Maryland Fishing Roundtable webinar with guest Jacob Shaner of the Maryland Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program. As part of the busy fishing season, anglers and boaters may see marine animals and sea turtles. Join us to learn more about our program and what you should do in the event you find a stranded marine animal in Maryland waters. Details for joining the webinar are on the department’s online calendar.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has some free fishing days on the horizon, which allows folks to fish anywhere in Maryland without a fishing license on June 5, June 12, and July 4. This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce someone new to the world of fishing. Read more…
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Population Shows Healthy Female Abundance
Recruitment Down but Spawning Stock Remains at Above Average Levels
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the results of the 2021 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which annually estimates the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.
The 2021 results showed that the spawning age female abundance increased from 141 million spawning age female crabs in 2020 to 158 million spawning age female crabs. This year’s survey estimate is above the long-term average of 126 million spawning age female crabs. Read more…
Maryland License-Free Fishing Days Offered in June and July
Opportunity for New and Returning Anglers Statewide
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces upcoming license-free fishing days for 2021 on June 5, June 12, and July 4 — a free option to explore Maryland’s diverse and unique fishing experiences without needing a fishing license, trout stamp, or registration.
Maryland hosts license-free fishing days annually on the first two Saturdays in June and on the Independence Day holiday. On these days, any individual may catch and possess finfish in any tidal and nontidal waters of Maryland, as long as it’s for recreational purposes. All anglers must follow current size and catch limits found in the department’s fishing and crabbing guide. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 19
The Berlin family caught a great mix of fish during a recent day out near Havre de Grace. Photo by Brandon Berlin
There are few joys more satisfying than seeing the excitement of a child enjoying the wonders of nature — and especially fishing. Sharing the experience with a young and new angler is a lasting moment for any parent or mentor.
Please join us May 27 at noon for a Maryland Fishing Roundtable webinar with guest Jacob Shaner of the Maryland Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program. As part of the busy fishing season, anglers and boaters may see marine animals and sea turtles. Join us to learn more about our program and what you should do in the event you find a stranded marine animal in Maryland waters. Details for joining the webinar are on the department’s online calendar.
Striped bass fishing entered a new phase on May 16, as anglers in most areas of the Chesapeake Bay may keep one striped bass per day with a minimum size of 19 inches. Some restrictions continue in many of the tidal river areas until May 31, after which all tidal areas in Maryland will be open to fishing for striped bass. Details on areas and dates for striped bass fishing can be found on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
Maryland Land Trusts to Pilot New Technology for Conservation Monitoring
Maryland Environmental Trust, Lower Shore Land Trust Receive Grant
The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and Lower Shore Land Trust, Inc. (LSLT) were jointly awarded a grant from the Land Trust Alliance and The Nature Conservancy-California to pilot state-of-the-art technology for monitoring land conservation easements.
This grant will allow LSLT and MET to use a new technology in support of annual conservation easement monitoring and ongoing outreach and contact with landowners. This new technique uses high-definition aerial and satellite imagery that may provide a new tool for visiting hard to reach properties over time and complete site evaluations in much less time than traditional “boots-on-the-ground” monitoring visits. Read more…
Chester River ‘No Discharge Zone’ Takes Effect May 17
Waters Protected by Limits on Waste Discharge from Boats
Photo: “Sunrise on the Chester River” by Bill Reichhardt, submitted to the 2018 annual Maryland Natural Resources Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the Chester River and its tributaries are now a No Discharge Zone, an area of water where the discharge of all boat sewage — even when treated by a sanitation device — is prohibited. The U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviewed and approved the No Discharge Zone, which is enforceable by state law enforcement as well as the U.S. Coast Guard.
Chester River is the third No Discharge Zone in Maryland waters, following Herring Bay and the Northern Coastal Bays. A fourth in Anne Arundel County is expected to become effective later in 2021. The precise locations of Maryland’s No Discharge Zones are detailed in the Code of Maryland Regulations on the department website. Read more…
Invasive Fish from Conowingo Dam Donated to Food Banks, Science
Maryland Public-Private Partnership Puts Invasive Fish to Good Use
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Conowingo Dam employs fish lifts to help migrating fish species navigate the Susquehanna River to their spawning grounds, but the lifts also catch unwelcomed fish – invasive catfish and snakehead. Through a public-private partnership between the Maryland Department of Resources (DNR), dam owner Exelon Corp., the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), and local seafood wholesaler, JJ McDonnell and Co., the invasive fish pulled from the Conowingo are going to local food banks and scientific research, while reducing the number of destructive species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
“This initiative serves multiple goals, including controlling invasive fish species by harvesting them to minimize their impacts on the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and providing protein-rich meals to those in need,” DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. “We will also improve our collection of scientific data, which will help us better manage these invasives in the future.” Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 12
Ryan Cooper takes a look at a brook trout before gently returning this beauty to the water. Photo by Ryan Cooper
The Maryland outdoors has many beautiful treasures to behold for those who look. It can be a quiet time sitting on a river bank watching nature, gazing upon the Chesapeake Bay, or hiking up a mountain stream and soaking up all that nature can share. Few fish in Maryland are as beautiful and treasured as our native brook trout and if you find one, you are well rewarded with a spectacle of color.
This Saturday, May 15, will be the last day of trophy striped bass season in the main stem Chesapeake Bay, The 2021 summer-fall season in most areas of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries will be open May 16 through July 15, and resume Aug. 1 through Dec. 10. Further information on areas and dates for striped bass fishing can be found on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
Please join us May 27 at noon for a Maryland Fishing Roundtable webinar with guest Jake Shaner of the Maryland Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program. As part of the busy fishing season, anglers and boaters may see sightings of marine animals and sea turtles. Join us to learn more about our program and what you should do in the event you find a stranded marine animal in Maryland waters. Details for joining the webinar are on the department’s online calendar.
Maryland Offshore Blind and Shoreline Licensing is Open
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked by May 31
Photo by Richard Miller, submitted to the 2019 annual Maryland Natural Resources Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting offshore waterfowl blind and shoreline license applications for riparian (waterfront) properties.
Anyone who owns such property, or someone granted permission by the owner, may license their shoreline to establish offshore stationary blind sites for hunting waterfowl, and/or will prevent others from licensing and hunting the shoreline at a later date. Read more…