Focus on Development, Diversity, Outreach, Research and Training The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Morgan State University, a doctoral public urban research university in Baltimore City, signed a new educational agreement today that seeks to promote collaborative research, community outreach, economic development and opportunity, and workforce training. This first-of-its-kind agreement between the two state institutions was signed Read the Rest…
18 Maryland Counties Receive Waterway Improvement Fund Grants The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $10.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to improve public boating access and navigation throughout the state. Passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Larry Hogan, this critical funding will go toward 49 projects in 18 counties from Allegany Read the Rest…
“Es Mi Parque” Engages and Serves State Park Visitors The Maryland Department of Natural Resources kicked off a new citizen outreach program, “Es Mi Parque,” or “This is My Park,” designed to better serve the growing Hispanic population at state parks throughout Maryland. The first outreach event of 2017 took place June 10 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.
Signs New Executive Order Promoting Outdoor Learning For Maryland Youth Governor Larry Hogan is renewing Maryland’s commitment to environmental education to ensure that every child in Maryland has the opportunity to learn about their local environment, develop a connection with nature, and have a better sense of place in their natural surroundings. The governor today Read the Rest…
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Awards $21.54 Million to 18 Local Projects Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has awarded funding to 18 recipients through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to improve the health of Maryland’s waterways. The Trust Fund directs critical grant funding to the most cost-effective and efficient Read the Rest…
Marine Mammal, Sea Turtle Strandings Should be Reported As warm weather settles in and the days grow longer, Maryland’s waters become a destination not for just humans, but also marine animals. In the past century, 23 different species of marine mammals and sea turtles have been documented in and around state waters. Visitors include bottlenose dolphins, Read the Rest…
Striped Bass Fishing Expands Baywide Anglers wanting to get in on this year’s striped bass fishing season will have more areas to fish starting June 1. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the official opening of the summer/fall striped bass season with no exclusions on where anglers can catch the state fish. All areas of Read the Rest…
The Maryland Conservation Corps Wants You! The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now recruiting 35 full-time individuals, between the ages of 17 to 25, for the Maryland Conservation Corps, an award-winning AmeriCorps program that engages young adults in extensive conservation and natural resource management projects that enhance Maryland’s public lands and waterways. The program is Read the Rest…
Fisheries Index Gets an ‘A’ at 90 Percent The overall health of Chesapeake Bay improved in 2016, a positive sign that recovery efforts are working. The largest estuary in the nation scored a C grade (54 percent) in the 2016 report card, one of the highest scores calculated by scientists at the University of Maryland Read the Rest…
Record Acreage Surpasses Restoration Goal The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported today that underwater grass abundance – a key indicator of improving water clarity and quality – increased for the fourth straight year in the state’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay, reaching a record of 59,277 acres. This represents a 10 percent increase from Read the Rest…
Number of Spawning-Age Female Crabs up 31 Percent to Historic High The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today released the results of the 2017 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, which shows that the population of crabs remains resilient and steady. While the survey indicates the population has slightly decreased due to lackluster recruitment, it showed a surge in Read the Rest…
Program Funded by Boaters Helps Keep Maryland Waters Clean and Safe Maryland marinas can now apply for Pumpout Operations and Maintenance grants through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. These grants reimburse marinas for the expense of operating and maintaining pumpout stations. State and federal laws prohibit the discharge of raw sewage from boats, so reliable Read the Rest…
Oldest State Law Enforcement Agency Turns 150 Next Year Today marks the 149th anniversary of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the oldest state police force and the nation’s fifth-oldest conservation law enforcement agency. The day is being marked with the unveiling of the 150th anniversary badge, which may be worn by officers next year, and a Read the Rest…
Crabbers Can Get Cracking on State’s Signature Catch It’s crabbing season in Maryland! Recreational fishing for the state’s most iconic aquatic species begins April 1 in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries as well as in the Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays and their tributaries, reports the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Maryland Anglers Get Ready to Rockfish The 2017 spring season for the state fish, striped bass, kicks off April 15 in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. Recreational fishing opportunities for rockfish – as striped bass is known locally – will run from 5 a.m. April 15 through midnight May 15, with Read the Rest…
Lt. Governor Rutherford Presents Award, Celebrates Life of Captain Eldridge Meredith Governor Larry Hogan has commissioned Kent Island resident Captain Eldridge Meredith as the 101st Admiral of Chesapeake Bay, a prestigious lifetime achievement award for an individual’s extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford presented the award on Read the Rest…
Partnerships Prove to be Catalyst for Chesapeake Bay Restoration The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund released its annual report, which details the program’s activities in the state, including the restoration of 653 acres of wetland, 207,900 linear feet of stream, and 1,165 acres of streamside tree buffers. The Trust Fund, which is administered by the Read the Rest…
Annual Survey Estimates Number of Dabblers, Divers, Ducks & Waterfowl Each winter, aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service make visual estimates of the ducks, geese and swans along the state’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline and Atlantic coast. This year, the teams counted about 812,600 waterfowl, higher Read the Rest…
Expanded Guide Provides Year-Round Information The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will release its comprehensive 2017-18 Maryland Fishing & Crabbing Guide Feb. 15. The guide is the go-to reference for all questions on recreational fishing and crabbing in the state, providing a summary of seasons, license information, size and creel limits, and more.
Private-Public Partnership Focuses on Conservation and Economics The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is working to establish an economically-productive and sustainable oyster harvesting cooperative in Anne Arundel County. With funding from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the comprehensive private-public partnership will enhance the long-term business and economic Read the Rest…
The J. Millard Tawes is One of Four Icebreakers on Call The Maryland Department of Natural Resources this week dispatched its vessel, the J. Millard Tawes, to break ice on the water route to Smith Island, opening the vital link between the island and nearby Crisfield Harbor.
