Facility meets standards to improve local water quality and help restore the Chesapeake Bay The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has certified Gingerville Marina Center in Anne Arundel County as the newest Maryland Clean Marina. The department awards this designation to marinas that comply with all applicable regulatory requirements and voluntarily adopt a significant portion Read the Rest…
Marina, boatyard, and yacht club operators are invited to attend a free seminar in January 2025 to learn about best practices to protect our waters and how to earn a Maryland Clean Marina designation. Seminars will also present information on departmental grants and assistance for marinas, a review of the General Permit for Discharges from Read the Rest…
Monitoring results show near to below average hypoxia through most of summer 2024 Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show the volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen—was generally near or below average in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in 2024. For the Read the Rest…
Dissolved oxygen conditions continue to be better than average in August Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show a smaller-than-average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early and late August.
Low spawning success documented for sixth consecutive year The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of this year’s juvenile striped bass survey, which tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in the Chesapeake Bay. The 2024 young-of-year index is 2.0, well below the long-term average of 11.0, and marks the sixth consecutive year Read the Rest…
Effort comes as part of state’s new Four Point Oyster Sanctuary Plan The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has selected the next three sites for large-scale oyster restoration in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay, marking the beginning of the state’s next phase of major oyster restoration. The department will conduct oyster restoration and monitoring Read the Rest…
Science is the foundation of everything we do at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. To emphasize this point, DNR conducted its second annual Science Week from Sept. 23 to 27 to highlight the department’s field experts working to conserve and protect our lands, waters, and wildlife. During this week I traveled more than 500 Read the Rest…
The word “cryptid” evokes visions of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or Chupacabra. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a cryptid is “a creature that is found in stories and that some people believe exists or say they have seen, but that has never been proven to exist.” Yet. Do we have cryptids in Maryland? Some Read the Rest…
State will select up to five watersheds for a five-year targeted investment for restoration The Whole Watershed Restoration Partnership, created to address multiple conservation goals in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays and their watersheds, has released a Request for Proposals seeking watershed restoration project proposals to review and consider for state investment across multiple Read the Rest…
Little by little, summer is losing its grip on the Maryland landscape, with cooler nights and milder daytime temperatures. Fish feel it too, and they are feeding aggressively and putting on body stores for what lies ahead. A perfect example are the bluefish in the Chesapeake Bay that are large and fat.
Three facilities meet standards to improve local water quality and help restore the Chesapeake Bay The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has certified Hartge Yacht Harbor of Galesville, Anne Arundel County; Tradewinds Marina of Middle River, Baltimore County; and Lighthouse Point Marina of Baltimore City as the newest Maryland Clean Marinas. The department awards this Read the Rest…
Glorious September is here, and although summer will sweep her hand across Maryland a few times before it is all over, we can all look forward to more comfortable weather. Water temperatures will begin to cool also and fishing in general will shift into high gear.
Stream restoration projects like Cattail Creek offer multifaceted benefits to watersheds and ecosystems To Bob Royer, the heron that was stalking in the shallow water around a bend in Cattail Creek was a sign of promise. For one thing, it meant there were fish. But together with the red-winged blackbirds overhead, the buzzing dragonflies, and Read the Rest…
Labor Day is upon us and September is on the horizon, promising cooler weather and excellent fishing and crabbing. There will be many crab feasts scheduled for families and friends across Maryland this weekend and recreational crabbers will go out on the water to provide the crabs.
Dissolved oxygen conditions show improvement in late June and July Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show a higher than average volume of hypoxia—waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen—in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia in early June, that improved to less than average size Read the Rest…
Fishing is always better in the company of family or friends, and when an angler is successful and has their friends to cheer them on and offer encouragement it makes all the difference when battling a fish of mammoth proportions. As a reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in the Department of Natural Read the Rest…
Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries experienced unusually high tides last week, and the Conowingo Dam had several flood gates open. Conditions are beginning to return to more moderate flows but anglers fishing on the Bay and tidal rivers need to keep an extra watch for floating debris.
Usually associated with warmer areas, the legendary sport fish is a rare sight in the state Scouting for red drum near the Hoopers Island Lighthouse on Aug. 1, Capt. Tom Weaver saw something roll in the flat, calm waters a couple hundred yards away. He looked for the wake and followed a disturbance in the Read the Rest…
It has been one year since Gov. Wes Moore announced that Maryland was shifting its Chesapeake Bay cleanup strategy to align with the latest science that recommends focusing water quality improvement efforts on increasing shallow water habitat and living resources, such as populations of fish and crabs. At the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we’ve Read the Rest…
Watermen harvested 430,000 bushels of Maryland oysters The Maryland Department of Natural Resources estimates that over 430,000 bushels of oysters were harvested commercially in Maryland from October 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024. This was the fifth season in the past 30 years when the harvest surpassed 400,000 bushels.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Chesapeake Conservancy recently partnered to produce an updated mapping of Maryland’s Habitat Connectivity Network. The data improves the state’s understanding of where the most important natural habitat areas in the state are currently located, how these areas are connected, and how these areas have changed through Read the Rest…
The excitement of seeing a young angler catch their first fish is enough to warm the heart of anyone, much less a veteran angler. Bluegill sunfish and white perch often fit the bill for this first fishing adventure. The Chesapeake Bay striped bass season reopens August 1, and although it is legal to fish for Read the Rest…
Across the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, below the water’s surface, ribbons of green sway in the current. They are stems of pondweed, eelgrass, widgeon grass, stargrass, and a number of other species. Together they make up the underwater grasses that form a crucial habitat for Bay life, help clean the water, and mitigate effects Read the Rest…
Underwater grass abundance–a key indicator of water quality and habitat–remained steady in 2023 in the state’s portion of Chesapeake Bay, reaching 37,770 acres, according to data released this week by the Chesapeake Bay Program and Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Overall, an estimated 82,937 acres of underwater grasses, also called submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), Read the Rest…
Maryland anglers are always able to adjust to conditions, if it involves catching fish. During the current striped bass closure in effect through July 31, many anglers are focusing on blue catfish. The action tends to be non-stop. As a reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in the Department of Natural Resources Volunteer Angler Read the Rest…
Temperatures and non-native fish species have increased, while acidity has lessened A Maryland Department of Natural Resources report found mixed results for the health of the state’s non-tidal streams, with some conditions getting better, others worse, and some remaining the same. For this report on potential changes in stream conditions, the department’s Maryland Biological Stream Read the Rest…
Sly and the Family Stone sang about “Hot Fun in the Summertime” back in 1969, and it seems very appropriate at the moment. As the temperatures stay high, summer fishing and crabbing is in full swing – freshwater, tidal, and Atlantic fish are providing plenty of exciting action! The striped bass season in Maryland waters Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds recreational anglers that targeting striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries is prohibited from July 16 through July 31. This closure is necessary to protect the species, because when water and air temperatures rise in the hottest part of summer, fish are more vulnerable to Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is awarding $35.8 million from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to 34 ecological restoration projects encompassing 122 sites throughout the state for Fiscal Year 2025. The projects were selected to improve water quality and habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed while building local resilience to Read the Rest…
It is time for summer vacations. Our youngest anglers are off from school and many parents and grandparents are creating lifetime memories with them, often through fishing together. As a reminder, all striped bass fishing in the Chesapeake Bay will be on hold from July 16-31 , in order to protect the fishery during what Read the Rest…
It’s the Fourth of July – time for family gatherings and barbecues, and steamed blue crabs will be on the most wanted list for many. Blue crab catches have been good recently, so we wish all our recreational crabbers the best of luck. On July 4, unlicensed anglers are free to fish anywhere in the Read the Rest…
It is now officially summer, but with this heat we didn’t need a calendar to tell us that! The early mornings and evenings offer some relief for anglers — wading or an overhead canvas, T-tops, or the simple shade of a shoreline tree, or wading can offer a cool and peaceful place to fish. July Read the Rest…
Lower oxygen conditions this spring consistent with yearly forecast model Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show that May 2024 dissolved oxygen conditions in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia were worse than average. The results are from samples collected during regular monitoring cruises conducted aboard Read the Rest…
Today, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission by a 5-4 vote repealed the longtime prohibition on dredging for blue crabs during the winter near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources strongly disagrees with Virginia’s decision.
Father’s Day was a wonderful day for people to spend time with family – and many chose to go fishing and enjoy the day together. As summer officially begins this week, we can look forward to many more opportunities to join friends and family in the great outdoors. For anglers who catch striped bass in Read the Rest…
Lessons learned from past management give hope for new stock assessment In the late 2000s, the outlook for blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay was grim. Known for its ups and downs, the blue crab harvest was going through a long stretch of almost all downs. The crab population steeply declined after 1997 and remained Read the Rest…
Summer breezes and warm temperatures set the stage for all kinds of fishing this week. Whether fishing in the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay, or just lazily watching a fishing rod nestled in a forked stick at your favorite freshwater fishing hole, it’s all good. We can all find a bit of peace and reflection Read the Rest…
Although the season doesn’t officially change until June 20, it sure feels like summer, and everyone is enjoying the outdoors, especially their favorite fishing adventures. A popular pastime is fishing for invasives like blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa, also known as northern snakeheads, which provide a wonderful dinner item. Maryland Department of Natural Resources fisheries Read the Rest…
Maryland anglers have a wide choice of fishing adventures this week, whether in the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, or the fresh waters of our western counties. One thing that many recall is the first fish they caught, which for many was the feisty bluegill sunfish. Maryland offers license-free fishing days for all state Read the Rest…
With Memorial Day weekend, the traditional beginning of the summer season is upon us. Remember to take a moment to reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, including the ability to enjoy the outdoors with families and friends. Striped bass season opened with a couple good days until some wind and Read the Rest…
The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), estimates 317 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2024, compared to 323 million crabs last year. The number of spawning age female crabs decreased from 152 million Read the Rest…
Multi-year analysis to look at questions around juvenile recruitment, environmental factors A team of researchers is preparing for a large-scale analysis of the blue crab population in the Chesapeake Bay that will help guide future management of the crab fishery and investigate factors that influence the animal’s survival and reproduction. The stock assessment comes as Read the Rest…
Something ancient is making its way onto the shores of Maryland – the annual spawning migration of horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus. The migration usually takes place from May through July, and its peak culminates with high tides on or around each full and new moon in May and June. Dating back an estimated 350 million Read the Rest…
There are lots of great fishing opportunities this week, from freshwater to the coastal waters of Ocean City. The first segment of Maryland’s striped bass season starts May 16 in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay below the line from Hart-Miller Island to Tolchester. Summer migrant species including spot, red drum, and speckled trout Read the Rest…
Spring is spreading its blanket of new growth and warmth across the Maryland landscape this month. The black locust trees are blooming, signaling the first blue crab shed of 2024. These warm and sunny days beckon anglers of all ages and skill levels to seek out the excitement of fishing in every corner of Maryland Read the Rest…
An iconic fish begins its life cycle Laughing gulls circled and cawed in anticipation. An osprey hauled an improbably large branch through bright green treetops. It was Earth Day, April 22, and the living things on the Choptank River marked the occasion by going on as usual. But below the water’s surface, a process was Read the Rest…
As we celebrate the beginning of May, balmy weather makes for comfortable fishing from the mountains of western Maryland to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Summer migrant species are showing up in the Ocean City area; among the arrivals is the spring migration of bluefish.
A new study looks at the age at which female striped bass mature and how many eggs they produce as they age Two of the most important traits to understand fish population growth are the age at which females mature and their fecundity, or how many eggs they can produce at each age on average. Read the Rest…
The weather forecast for the next week promises mild and sunny conditions, perfect for venturing into the outdoors for fishing with family and friends. Trout continue to be stocked each week in the put-and-take trout waters, and a wide variety of fish are active, including the northern snakehead.
We are in store for some nice weather this week, so be sure to get outdoors and enjoy some of the many fishing opportunities in Maryland. Trout fishing is bolstered with continuing stockings, other freshwater species are active, and blue catfish can be found in every tidal water of the Chesapeake Bay.
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