Press Center
Learn about the Bay Program's latest progress in our science and restoration efforts. Members of the media are invited to contact the Chesapeake Bay Program communications office with questions and requests for interviews or information.
Recent Releases
August 13, 2019
Manokin River chosen for oyster restoration
The Chesapeake Bay Program is pleased to announce that the Manokin River has been selected as the tenth Chesapeake Bay tributary for large-scale oyster reef restoration. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement calls for the restoration of the native oyster population in 10 tributaries by 2025—and the Manokin River is the final tributary to be selected for this Chesapeake Bay Program partnership effort.
The Manokin River joins four other large-scale Maryland oyster restoration sites: Harris Creek and the Little Choptank, Tred Avon and Upper St. Mary’s rivers. Situated off Tangier Sound, along Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Manokin River is over 16,000 acres and has been an oyster sanctuary area since 2010.
In addition to the Maryland sites, large-scale oyster restoration is also taking place in five locations in Virginia: Great Wicomico, Lafayette, Lower York, Lynnhaven and Piankatank rivers.
July 24, 2019
Chesapeake Bay Program reports slight decline in underwater grass abundance
In 2018, an estimated 91,559 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. While this acreage is less than the previous year, it is likely that substantially more submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) grew in the Bay than the mapped acreage suggests: frequent rain, cloudy water and security restrictions prevented researchers from successfully collecting aerial imagery over the Potomac River near the Patuxent Air Base, as well as portions of the Susquehanna Flats, Mattaponi, Middle, Choptank and Honga rivers, and Fishing Bay (representing over 22% of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries).
If we consider the acreage of grasses that these unmapped portions of the Bay supported in 2017, the estimated total for 2018 could be as high as 108,960 acres. This would be an increase from the previous total, which was the highest amount of underwater grasses ever recorded in the Bay since monitoring began over 30 years ago—breaking 100,000 acres for the first time.
Experts are encouraged by this news, as it’s likely that the actual expanse of underwater grasses in 2018 ranged between 91,559 and 108,960 acres. The growth and survival of underwater grasses are sensitive to the impacts that extreme weather conditions have on Bay water quality. In the past, underwater grass populations have taken several years to recover from the effects of hurricanes or high temperature events. With the record-breaking rainfall observed by most of the Chesapeake region in 2018, experts were concerned over how the grasses would fare: the persistence of underwater grasses seen last year suggests increasing resilience to such stresses, an indication that the restoration actions taken by the Chesapeake Bay Program and its many partners are working.
Experts attribute the presence of widgeon grass in the moderately and very salty regions of the Bay to be responsible for the steady underwater grass abundance. However, widgeon grass is a “boom and bust” species whose abundance can rise and fall sharply from year to year. A widgeon grass-dominated spike in one year can be a positive response to good conditions for growth and reproduction while survival between years is sensitive to changes in water quality such as conditions resulting from the impacts of extreme weather events.
Underwater grass abundance can vary from species to species and river to river. In 2018, local highlights included:
- Upper Central Chesapeake Bay: Approximately 272 acres of underwater grasses were observed throughout the upper central portion of the Chesapeake Bay in 2017, and in 2018, this figure rose to over 457 acres: an increase of 68%. Numerous species of grasses have been found in this area, including: widgeon grass, redhead grass, sago pondweed, horned pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, wild celery, common waterweed, curly pondweed, hydrilla and coontail.
- Patapsco River: The Patapsco River noted over 14 acres of grasses in 2017; in 2018, this figure rose to over 30 acres, an increase of approximately 114%. In the mid-2000s, local restoration projects in Shallow Creek at the mouth of the Patapsco River helped contribute to the increase of grasses, which continue to remain steady today.
- Upper Rappahannock River: In 2017, over 562 acres of grasses were mapped in the Upper Rappahannock River, and in 2018, that figure rose to 837 acres, an increase of over 48%. Researchers have found several types of grasses in this portion of the Rappahannock, including coontail, hydrilla, naiads, common waterweed and wild celery.
- Smith and Tangier Islands: Underwater grass abundance in Tangier Sound increased over 18% from 2017 to 2018. Over 21,504 acres of grasses were mapped in 2017, while approximately 25,340 acres were noted in 2018. The underwater grasses that stretch from Smith Island to Tangier Island make up the largest contiguous grass bed in the Bay. Widgeon grass dominates the area, but eelgrass can also be found.
July 02, 2019
2019 Blue Crab Advisory Report Released
The annual Blue Crab Advisory Report, released today by the Chesapeake Bay Program and developed by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, finds that the overall Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is not depleted and is not being overfished. The blue crab population in the Bay has increased nearly 60 percent from 372 million in 2018 to 594 million in 2019.
The report provides scientific analysis of the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population that helps resource managers set blue crab fishing regulations. The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team recently approved the 2019 report. It includes expert analysis of data from the annual Bay-wide winter dredge survey (released earlier this year by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science) and harvest estimates from recent years.
To ensure continued resiliency of the population, resource managers focus on maintaining a robust stock of female crabs. The population estimate of adult females increased to 191 million in 2019 from 147 million in 2018. This number is above 70 million, which is considered to be the minimum acceptable level for female blue crabs in the Bay, but lower than the target of 215 million. In the 2018 blue crab fishing season, 23 percent of all female crabs were harvested—safely below the target (25.5 percent) and threshold (34 percent) levels for the eleventh consecutive year.
The juvenile blue crab population—crabs that will grow to harvestable size this fall—was estimated to be 323 million, above the long-term average of 224 million. The number of crabs that die in-between fall and spring—the overwintering mortality—was lower this year at 1.8 percent, due to the warmer 2018-19 winter. This is a decrease from the 6.37 percent observed in the winter of 2017-18.
The 2019 Advisory Report recommends:
- Jurisdictions should maintain a risk-averse approach; no adjustments to management are warranted.
- Jurisdictions should implement ways to more accurately track commercial and recreational harvest.
The Blue Crab Advisory Report is developed by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, a group of experts from state and federal agencies and academic institutions. The blue crab fishery in the Chesapeake Bay is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Potomac River Fisheries Commission.
June 27, 2019
Biennial environmental literacy summit brings together experts, decision-makers
Environmental education experts, cabinet level representatives from state government and other decision-makers from throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed gathered at the George Mason University Potomac Science Center in Woodbridge, Virginia on Thursday to highlight challenges and explore possible solutions to ensuring environmental education resources and opportunities are distributed equitably among all students.
For only the third time, leaders from both state departments of natural resources and education came together to recognize the importance of working in a collaborative manner to advance environmental literacy throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Discussions throughout the day focused on the best way in which to foster partnerships to provide equity in environmental education, and share challenges and successes associated with providing diverse environmental education instruction to all ages and levels of students.
Pamela Northam, the First Lady of Virginia, served as the keynote speaker for the day. Other speakers included Tia Brumsted, deputy assistant superintendent for health and wellness with the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Ben Grumbles, secretary of the environment for Maryland, Atif Qarni, secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Karen Salmon, state superintendent of schools for Maryland and Dr. David Volkman, executive deputy secretary for the Department of Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Choose Clean Water Coalition, National Aquarium, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office, Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center, Potomac Valley Audubon Society and Virginia Resource Use Education Council shared their perspectives on using environmental literacy to address inequities in our education system and discussed strategies for how to overall increase diversity into the environmental movement.
Students representing schools from around the Chesapeake Bay watershed shared their own testimonials on the importance of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). A key component of environmental literacy programming, MWEEs connect standards-based classroom learning with outdoor field investigations to allow students to develop a deeper understanding of the natural environment.
The Chesapeake Bay Program, a regional partnership of federal, state and local governments, academic institutions and non-profit organizations, acknowledges that the restoration of the Bay depends on the individuals and communities living within the watershed, while its future rests in the hands of its youngest residents. In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, the partnership committed to enable students throughout the Chesapeake region to graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to act responsibly in protecting and restoring their local watersheds, as well as increase the number and diversity of people who support and carry out conservation and restoration work.
In 2018, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principals’ Staff Committee committed to biennially convening high-level leaders in both education and the environment to discuss progress toward the partnership’s environmental education goals. In August 2018, Chesapeake Executive Council Chair and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan called on his fellow watershed states to use the data and information collected by the Chesapeake Bay Program to develop strategies to equitably direct their resources toward ensuring all students have access to outdoor learning experiences and a sustainable school environment. Chesapeake Executive Council member, Governor Ralph Northam requested that Virginia host the 2019 summit.
May 30, 2019
Join communities across the watershed in celebrating Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week
The fourth annual Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week will take place June 1-9, 2019. While this week has been officially designated in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, events will take place throughout the entire watershed to raise awareness about this valuable economic and environmental resource—a national treasure that directly connects over 18 million residents.
Events spanning the watershed from Delaware to the District of Columbia can be found on the Attend an Event calendar on the Chesapeake Bay Program website. Organizations may also submit their own events to be added to the calendar. Here are some highlights of what’s happening during Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week:
- Bands in the Sand: Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on June 8 in Annapolis, Maryland for a fun-filled evening on the water’s edge with great friends, live music, cool drinks and mouth-watering food.
- Bernie Fowler’s Wade-In: Join former Senator Bernie Fowler and other dignitaries on June 9, as they wade into the Patuxent river! Mr. Fowler started the “white sneaker” test as a means of checking water clarity. Before and after wading, enjoy environmental demonstrations, music and exhibits.
- Clean the Bay Day: Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on June 1 at a true Virginian tradition! This annual opportunity affords families, businesses, and civic or church groups the chance to give back to local waterways.
- Crab Cake Week: Participating restaurants in Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia will donate 10 percent of proceeds from sales of crab cakes to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay from June 1-9.
- Family and Youth Casting Call: Join the District of Columbia Department of Energy and the Environment on June 1 at Anacostia Park to learn how to fish and explore environmental educational displays.
- Lancaster Water Week: Celebrate the unique waterways of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, learn about the challenges it faces and the opportunities that can be created at events running June 1-8, 2019.
- Outdoors Day: Join the New York Department of Environmental Conservation in Sherburne on June 8 to celebrate Get Outdoors Day. Try a new activity or introduce your family to old favorites like archery, paddling or fishing.
In 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative commission that advises members of the general assemblies of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia on matters of Bay-wide concern, championed the idea of designating a week in June as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. The designation encourages all who reside in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to commemorate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week with events, activities and educational programs to acknowledge the significance of the Chesapeake Bay.
This year’s theme, "All Hands," highlights the fact that it takes all of us—no matter what group we may identify with—to contribute to the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. Various agencies and organizations throughout the watershed will celebrate farmers, local governments, small businesses, non-profit organizations, utility companies, recreation enthusiasts, watermen, volunteers, the military and most importantly—you—throughout the week.
Valued for its commercial and recreational value, the Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest estuary, whose 64,000 square mile watershed includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and West Virginia.
Follow #AllHands and #OneChesapeake on social media during June 1-9 for facts, events and fun happening around the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Media Advisories
March 28, 2019
Annual report continues to show improvements in Bay health
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2017 – 2018) on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
Press release will be available by 10:00 a.m. ET on April 2.
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO:
- Dana Aunkst, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Jennifer Dopkowski, Acting Coordinator, Climate Resiliency Workgroup, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
- Brooke Landry, Chair, SAV Workgroup, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Peter Tango, Coordinator, Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting Workgroup, U.S. Geological Survey
WHEN:
- Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. ET
WHERE:
- Call (202) 991-0477; Code: 903-7008
MEDIA RSVP:
Rachel Felver, Director of Communications, Chesapeake Bay Program
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
(410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
July 30, 2018
2018 Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting
On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.
During this meeting, the council is expected to sign a directive in support of agricultural technical assistance and conservation practice implementation. Each member of the Executive Council will have the opportunity to give remarks and hear about the importance of the partnership from citizen, local government and scientific and technical representatives.
For more detailed information as it becomes available, visit the 2018 Executive Council meeting webpage.
WHO:
The Honorable Larry J. Hogan, Jr., Governor, State of Maryland (Executive Council Chair)
The Honorable Ralph S. Northam, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
The Honorable John C. Carney, Jr., Governor, State of Delaware
The Honorable Frank Wagner, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
The Honorable Andrew Wheeler, Acting Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Honorable Kevin Donahue, Deputy Mayor, District of Columbia
The Honorable Patrick McDonnell, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Austin Caperton, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of West Virginia
The Honorable Jamie Clover Adams, Chief of Staff, Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
WHERE: Meeting & Press Event: Douglass – Myers Maritime Park
Address for GPS: 1417 Thames Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21231
WHEN: Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Public Poster Session: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
Public Meeting and Press Conference: 12:35 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
DETAILS: The Douglass – Myers Maritime Park is open to the public during this event. All are welcome to attend.
PLEASE RSVP BY 8/6/18: Rachel Felver, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net or (410) 267-5740
The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that has coordinated and conducted the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay for 30 years, since its formation thirty years ago in 1983. Partners include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal government; the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission,a tri-state legislative body; and advisory groups of citizens, scientists and local government officials.
January 02, 2018
Chesapeake Bay Program releases Bay Barometer; resilience noted throughout watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2016 – 2017) on Thursday, January 4, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
Press release will be available by 9:00 a.m. ET on January 4
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO: Ben Grumbles, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment (invited)
Jim Edward, Acting Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
Kate Fritz, Executive Director, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Al Todd, former Chair, Chesapeake Bay Program Stewardship Workgroup
WHEN: Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Annapolis Maritime Museum
723 2nd Street
Annapolis, MD 21403
MEDIA RSVP: Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications
(410) 267-5740
January 30, 2017
Bay Barometer Media Call
The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2015 – 16) on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ET. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer any questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.
The leaders of the Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science will provide statements on the progress toward restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
Press release will be available by 9:00 a.m. ET on February 1
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
WHO: Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
William C. Baker, President, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Dr. Don Boesch, President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 4102675731
MEDIA RSVP: Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
September 28, 2016
2016 Chesapeake Executive Council Annual Meeting
On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.
During this meeting, the council is expected to adopt a resolution to support and collaborate with local governments and will note the signs of resiliency that are beginning to be seen throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Each member of the Executive Council will also publically speak to the challenges facing their jurisdictions in regard to Chesapeake Bay restoration.
For more detailed information as it becomes available, visit the 2016 Executive Council meeting webpage.
Who
The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (EC Chair)
The Honorable Thomas Wolf, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Thomas McLain “Mac” Middleton, Chairman, Chesapeake Bay Commission
The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Honorable Jeannie Haddaway Riccio, Deputy Chief of Staff, State of Maryland
The Honorable Kara Coats, Deputy Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, State of Delaware
The Honorable James Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of New York
The Honorable Hamid Karimi, Deputy Director, Natural Resources Administration, Department of Energy and the Environment, District of Columbia
The Honorable Brigadier General William Graham, Commander and Division Engineer, North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Honorable Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Where
Meeting & Press Event – Virginia State Arboretum
Address for GPS: 400 Blandy Farm Lane Boyce, VA 22620
When
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Public Poster Session and Q&A with Subject Matter Experts: 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. ET
Public Meeting and Press Conference: 11:05 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET
Details
The Virginia State Arboretum is open to the public during this event. All are welcome to attend.
RSVP
Please RSVP by 10/3/16: Rachel Felver, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net or (410) 267-5740
September 19, 2016
Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Improves in 2015
Join experts from the Chesapeake Bay Program on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. ET as they answer questions and discuss the latest data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay, as measured by monitored nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment pollution loads in rivers and streams, as well as the estimated achievement of water quality standards for measures such as dissolved oxygen, water clarity/underwater grasses and chlorophyll a that help determine how well the Bay can support its living resources.
Press release will be available by 10:00 a.m. ET on September 21 http://www.chesapeakebay.net/presscenter
Who
Nick DiPasquale, Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program, Environmental Protection Agency
Rich Batiuk, Associate Director for Science, Analysis and Implementation, Environmental Protection Agency
Scott Phillips, Chesapeake Bay Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey
When
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Where
Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 4102675731
Media RSVP
Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
April 19, 2016
Experts, Decision Makers Focus on Improving Environmental Education
The Leadership Summit on Environmental Literacy will bring together cabinet-level representatives from state government, environmental education experts, and decision makers from around the watershed to explore how states can assist local education agencies in creating and sustaining high-quality environmental literacy programming as part of their ongoing education reforms and to meet commitments under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Participants will also examine opportunities provided by the environmental education provisions of the recently enacted Every Students Succeeds Act to support state and local environmental literacy programming. The meeting is organized by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, a partner of the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Media are welcome to join from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. to observe students from Hammond High School in Columbia, Maryland who will participate in hands-on field experiences with summit attendees. The session will also feature Nick DiPasquale, Director of the Chesapeake Bay Program; Tom Ackerman, Vice President of Education at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and Dr. Renee Foose, Superintendent of Howard County Public Schools as they describe how experiences like this are part of a comprehensive effort to increase Chesapeake Bay stewardship. Members of the media should check in with Rachel Felver, Director of Communications for the Chesapeake Bay Program upon arrival.
What
Leadership Summit on Environmental Literacy
When
Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The summit is a day-long, focused event that will run from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and includes several closed, working sessions. Media are welcome to join from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where
Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403
Who
Presenters include:
• Congressman John Sarbanes (Maryland), U.S. House of Representatives
• Mark Belton, Secretary, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Molly Ward, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources
• Steven Staples, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Dr. Renee Foose, Superintendent, Howard County Public Schools
• Tom Ackerman, Vice President of Education, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
April 18, 2016
Data Show Drop in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sediment Pollution to Chesapeake Bay
Join the Chesapeake Bay Program on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 3:00p.m., to discuss the latest science-based estimates of how much pollution flow into the Chesapeake Bay has changed over time as a result of watershed-wide actions taken by Chesapeake Bay Program partners.
Who
Nick DiPasquale, Director, Chesapeake Bay Program
Gary Shenk, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Chesapeake Bay Program
James Davis-Martin, Chesapeake Bay Nonpoint Source Coordinator, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
What
Media briefing on how actions on land are estimated to have reduced nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment flowing from lands into the rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay since 2009
When
Monday, April 18, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Where
Conference call. Dial: 866-299-3188 Enter Code: 2679856222
Media RSVP
Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program Director of Communications, (410) 267-5740, rfelver@chesapeakebay.net
Tom Wenz, EPA Press Officer, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, (410) 295-1360, tom.wenz@epa.gov
December 08, 2015
Fisheries Scientists, Managers, Constituents to Discuss Chesapeake Bay Fishery Resource Management
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team will meet Monday, December 14 to discuss topics of critical importance to important fishery species in the Bay. Sessions will feature presentations by top scientists from the region.
WHAT: Semiannual in-person meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team.
Working agenda topics:
• Oyster restoration efforts in Maryland and Virginia
• Developing forage indicators and nutritional profiles for five predatory species in the Bay
• Updates on two-year workplans to achieve blue crab, forage, fish habitat, and oyster outcomes under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement
• Latest scientific data on cownose rays, including findings from a recent workshop
• Blue crab survey and research on blue crab reproductive capacity
• Analyses of blue catfish diet in Bay tributaries
WHEN: Monday, December 14 (10 a.m.-4:15 p.m.); see meeting page for webinar/call-in information
WHERE: Bernie Fowler Lab on the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s (UMCES) Chesapeake Biological Laboratory campus, 142 Williams St., Solomons, Maryland, 20688
WHO: Presentations by experts from:
• NOAA (Peyton Robertson, Stephanie Westby, Emilie Franke)
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Matt Ogburn)
• UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (Tom Miller, Andre Buchheister, Mike Wilberg)
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Susan Connor)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Don Orth, Joseph Schmitt)
ABOUT: The Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team includes the state fisheries managers from around the Bay, fisheries scientists, other experts, and stakeholders, and is chaired by the director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. The team uses the latest science to inform fishery management decisions and meets in person twice a year to address issues and promote sustainable fish populations that support commercial and recreational fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay, and to share and discuss the latest science on these species.
July 30, 2015
Chesapeake Bay’s Underwater Grass Abundance Rose Last Year
In a conference call Thursday, July 30 at 11 a.m., scientists with the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) will discuss the 2014 results of their annual Bay-wide survey of underwater grasses from Susquehanna Flats to the mouth of the Bay and the many rivers in between.
The Chesapeake Bay Program tracks underwater grass abundance as an indicator of Bay health. Underwater grasses, also known as submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), serve many essential functions and are among the most closely monitored habitats in the Bay. They provide critical shelter to blue crabs, fish and other key species; improve water clarity by helping sediment settle to the bottom; reduce nutrient pollution, add oxygen to the water; reduce shoreline erosion and are a major source of food for over-wintering waterfowl.
Who:
- Robert Orth, Professor, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) / CBP
- Brooke Landry, Chair, CBP’s SAV Workgroup & Biologist, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) / CBP
- Rebecca Golden, Vice-Chair, CBP’s SAV Workgroup & Biologist, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) / CBP
When:
Thursday, July 30 at 11 a.m.
Where:
Conference call line: 866-299-3188 Code: 410 267 5710
Media Resources
Background Information: Overview of Chesapeake Bay Program | Chesapeake Bay Facts & Figures | Backgrounders and Fact Sheets | Glossary of Terms
Photos: Images from around the Bay watershed, including crabs, oysters, forest buffers, wetlands and more.
Logos: Bay Program Logo (.tif, .png, .eps, .svg)
RSS: Feed of recent press releases.