June 18, 2024 — 2023 was a record year for oysters in the state of Maryland.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, it saw the most bushels ever harvested by the state’s aquaculture operations, at over 94,000.
Food supply for Bay’s predatory fish seems adequate, for now
May 30, 2024 — When it comes to important but unheralded Chesapeake Bay species, it may be time to praise the polychaete.
The bottom-dwelling worms turn out to be the most important food for a wide range of important fish predators, and their abundance seems to be holding steady in recent decades.
On the other hand, there may be reason for concern about lowly mysids, small shrimplike crustaceans that are a tasty treat for many Bay fish but have been in decline for years.
One thing is certain: There is cause to worry about the shoreline hardening around the Bay and its tidal tributaries. Despite efforts to promote “living shorelines,” the spread of bulkheads and riprap is taking a bite out of critical habitats for polychaetes, mysids and many other forage species that constitute the lower levels of the Chesapeake’s food web.
Those are some of the findings from a recent Forage Status and Trends Report from the state-federal Bay Program. It’s the first attempt to analyze if the Chesapeake is producing enough food for striped bass, weakfish, summer flounder, Atlantic croaker and other predators.
Blue Crab Numbers Down From Last Year, Multi-Year Analysis To Begin
May 28, 2024 — The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population is holding steady but remains below average, new data show, easing but not completely dispelling worries about the long-term viability of the region’s most important commercial and popular recreational fishery.
The recent winter dredge survey, conducted each year by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science, found about 317 million crabs in the Bay and its tributaries, the two agencies announced. That is down slightly from last year’s estimate of 323 million crabs, though well above the all-time low of 227 million crabs in 2022.
The tally of spawning-age female crabs—a critical indicator of the overall crab stock’s health—decreased by 12.5 percent. But that number is still well above the threshold that biologists say is the minimum needed to sustain the population.
The abundance of juvenile crabs continued to recover from an all-time low in 2021 but remained well below average for the fifth year in a row. The survey found 138 million young crustaceans this year, a nearly 20% increase over the 2023 survey.
States comply with new striped bass catch curbs as more limits are considered
May 7, 2024 — With errant states falling in line with new striped bass catch curbs, East Coast fishery managers agreed last week to consider imposing still more limits on recreational fishing later this year to help the struggling fish recover.
The striped bass management board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates inshore fishing for migratory species, accepted revised plans May 1 from Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission for making required cutbacks in recreational and commercial harvests.
The board had rejected the three jurisdictions’ plans in March, putting them in jeopardy of having the federal government shut down all fishing for striped bass if the deficiencies weren’t corrected.
At issue for Maryland and the bi-state Potomac fisheries agency were their plans to delay action until 2026 if their 2024 commercial harvests exceeded the reduced level ordered by the Atlantic States commission.
The commission in January had ordered reductions in recreational and commercial catch amid concerns over an unexpected jump in recreational catch along the coast and surveys finding poor reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay, where most of the coastwide stock is spawned.
VIRGINIA: Reaching a Major Oyster Restoration Milestone in Virginia’s York River
April 24, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA and partners are making great progress toward a big goal: To restore oyster reef habitat in 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries by 2025. It’s the world’s largest oyster restoration project!
At an Earth Day 2024 event, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that work to restore oyster reefs in the York River is complete. The York River, which is located in NOAA’s Middle Peninsula Habitat Focus Area, is the eighth tributary to be declared to be restored.
“It is my privilege to commemorate this year’s Earth Day by officially announcing and celebrating the completion of the Lower York River Oyster Restoration Goal. By reaching this restoration goal, we are sending a clear message that this administration’s year-round commitment to preserve our natural resources is unwavering,” said Governor Youngkin. “As Virginians, we are blessed to be surrounded by an abundance of treasured natural resources and we will protect them.”
NOAA and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission conducted the project, which restored more than 200 acres of habitat.
Restored Reefs Provide Important Habitat
We believe that restoring oyster reef habitat is important because oysters—and the reefs they form—provide important benefits. Oyster reefs are important habitat for many commercially and recreationally significant fish and shellfish. Reefs give juvenile fish a place to hide from predators. Oysters are filter feeders, so they help improve water quality as they eat.
“NOAA is excited to celebrate not only the tremendous work to restore more than 200 acres of oyster reef in the York River—and the habitat these reefs will provide for species including black sea bass, summer flounder, and blue crabs—but also to highlight the partnership among Virginia agencies and NOAA that made it happen,” said Dr. Sunny Snider, deputy director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Habitat Conservation.
Healthy Reefs Support the Economy
Having more habitat and cleaner water is also good for people and the economy. Research shows that in one Chesapeake river, having restored reefs would lead to a 160 percent increase in the annual blue crab harvest.
“I am extremely proud of our Shellfish Management Division and the pivotal role that we have played in this historic achievement, which not only supports the most economically important commercial fishery in Virginia but also sets a precedent for sustainable coastal conservation efforts nationwide,” said Virginia Marine Resources Commissioner Jamie Green.
Restored Tributaries
Eight tributaries have been restored toward the Chesapeake Bay Program’s goal.
Maryland
- Harris Creek
- Little Choptank River
- Tred Avon River
- Upper St. Mary’s River
Virginia
- Lafayette River
- Piankatank River
- Great Wicomico River
- Lower York River
Virginia was so excited about restoring oyster reefs that they worked in an eleventh “bonus” tributary, the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River! Work continues in Virginia’s Lynnhaven River and Maryland’s Manokin River.
NOAA Plays Important Roles in Restoration
We chair the Maryland and Virginia workgroups that guide large-scale oyster reef restoration in the Chesapeake Bay. These groups do the planning and coordinate the implementation and construction of the projects. In the York River, NOAA scientists use sonar to map the bottom of the river where the reef projects are planned. They and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission will track the health of those restoration reefs after restoration to make sure they succeed.
In addition, we provided funding to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to support the York River project.
‘Oyster Renaissance’ in Chesapeake Continues as Total in Bay Hits Major Milestone
March 14, 2024 — The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance has announced a major milestone as it has recorded a new total of 6 billion oysters directly added to the Bay since 2017.
Following a banner year for Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration and aquaculture, the alliances count aims to include all oysters directly added to the Bay and its tributaries through restoration and aquaculture. These efforts have now surpassed the halfway mark to the group’s goal to promote adding 10 billion new oysters to the Bay by 2025.
The majority of contributions toward the 10 billion oyster goal come from major restoration initiatives in Maryland and Virginia targeted towards 11 Bay tributaries, which are on track to be completed by 2025.
“We’re seeing an exciting oyster renaissance on the Bay, from massive tributary scale-efforts down to widespread citizen involvement and public awareness,” said Tanner Council, Alliance Senior Manager for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “At least six billion oysters have been added to the Chesapeake in recent years thanks to heroic work by Maryland and Virginia, federal partners, and COA aquaculture and restoration partners. Each year, the Chesapeake Bay is getting closer to an extremely ambitious goal of adding 10 billion new oysters.”
Striped bass harvest restrictions trigger widespread impact
February 27, 2024 — It’s going to be a lean year for those who like to catch or eat Atlantic striped bass — with still leaner times perhaps to come.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates inshore fishing for migratory species, has ordered new curbs, starting May 1, on both recreational and commercial catches of the popular finfish, also known as rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Amid persistent signs of trouble with the species, the commission’s striped bass management board decided Jan. 24 to limit all anglers in the Chesapeake and its tributaries to landing one striper a day, and only if it’s between 19 inches and 24 inches long. Ocean anglers likewise can keep just one fish a day, but with a narrower legal-size window of 28 to 31 inches.
Maryland and Virginia watermen, meanwhile, face a 7% reduction in their allowed commercial harvest of the fish.
Chesapeake Bay dead zone ‘smallest’ it’s been since 1985
December 2, 2023 — The “dead zone” in the Chesapeake Bay is the smallest it has been since recording began in 1985, according to new data from Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Old Dominion University and Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
The dead zone is the area in which there is a relative low amount of oxygen, a condition known as hypoxia. Typically, this means that polluted runoff has brought in phosphorus and nitrogen, which feeds growth of algal blooms. These blooms eventually die and decompose, removing oxygen from the surrounding waters faster than it can be replenished. Animals such as crabs, oysters and fish need healthy levels of oxygen in the water to survive.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported dissolved oxygen levels in the Chesapeake Bay were “much better” than past years. The department reported the dead zone averaged 0.52 cubic miles from May to October this year, compared with the historical average of 0.97 cubic miles.
VIMS reported a dead zone of 0.58 cubic miles. The institute reported that hypoxia began earlier than usual, in April, but it remained “uncharacteristically low” from June until ending in late-September. The relatively early end resulted from cooling temperatures in September and strong winds during Tropical Storm Ophelia.
MARYLAND: Following worrying rockfish population data, Maryland looks to cancel spring trophy season for 2024
November 30, 2023 — After five straight years of troubling data on the population of young rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland officials plan to enact emergency regulations canceling this spring’s trophy season for recreational anglers.
The rules would eliminate the once exciting two weeks each spring when anglers targeted large fish swimming up the bay to spawn. But this period had been delayed from April into May in recent years in an effort to protect the spawning fish, which diminished its allure.
“That’s the time when Maryland fishermen have access to what is essentially a large, oceanic fish,” said Lynn Fegley, director of fishing and boating services at Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. “But given the very low recruitment—baby striped bass numbers—we’ve had successively over the last few years, we are moving to just give the fish a break.”
The emergency rules were spurred by a troubling so-called young-of-the-year survey, released in October, that found juvenile striped bass numbers in the Chesapeake Bay at their second-worst result since the survey began in the 1950s. It marked the fifth successive year showing numbers well below the historical average.
Under the new rules proposed by the department, Chesapeake Bay anglers wouldn’t be able to catch and keep rockfish, also known as striped bass, until May 16 next year. In the Susquehanna Flats, located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River near Perryville, Maryland’s newly proposed rules would push back the start date until June 1.
State officials said that the delayed opening in the flats, where many striped bass end their journeys from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn, is an attempt to further protect large adult fish lingering in the sprawling underwater grass beds near the Susquehanna, so they can produce more young
Researchers: Blue Catfish Stomach Contents Suggest Large Impact On Crab, Menhaden
November 29, 2023 — In terms of appetite and willingness to gorge on just about anything, blue catfish have few peers in the Chesapeake Bay, experts say.
“They’re eating everything, anything they can get their mouths around,” said Noah Bressman, a fish biologist at Salisbury University in Maryland.
Now, a clearer picture is emerging of their ecological toll. Two new studies based in tidal rivers on opposite sides of the Bay show that the invasive species is gobbling up prized native aquatic life, such as menhaden and blue crabs, at high rates.
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