Thriving Habitat, Fisheries & Wildlife

Goal

Protect, restore and sustain fisheries and wildlife, as well as the network of land and water habitats they depend on, to promote a balanced and resilient ecosystem and support local economies and recreational opportunities.

Importance

The fisheries and wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay watershed are the backbone of the region’s ecology, economy and heritage. However, impaired water quality, invasive species and habitat loss place pressure on fish and wildlife populations across the region. Our increasing use of natural resources can fragment and degrade the habitats on which they depend. Maintaining sustainable fisheries and restoring habitat for native and migratory species, while adapting to the challenges of changing environmental conditions, will support a strong economy, recreation and a resilient ecosystem.

Outcomes

Blue Crabs

Blue crabs support commercial and recreational fisheries across the region. But poor water quality, habitat loss and harvest pressure threaten their continued health. Working across jurisdictions to manage blue crab harvest rates is a critical part of maintaining a sustainable blue crab population.

Outcome:: Achieve a sustainable Bay-wide blue crab fishery through cross-jurisdictional coordination that supports healthy blue crab populations and thriving fish communities.
Maintain blue crab abundance and harvest rate targets as determined by the most recent benchmark status assessment.
Achieve cross-jurisdictional coordination by annually evaluating and communicating blue crab population status to resource managers and the public through the Blue Crab Advisory Report.

Brook Trout

Brook trout are an essential part of headwater stream environments and a valuable recreational resource. The prospect of restoring brook trout to local streams can even motivate private landowners to reduce pollution and conserve habitat on their properties. But unless steps are taken to reverse brook trout's population decline, the species could become regionally threatened.

Outcome:: Protect and enhance brook trout within the Chesapeake Bay watershed by increasing occupancy, abundance and resilience to changing environmental conditions.
By 2040, increase brook trout occupancy by 1.5% (233 miles) in watersheds supporting healthy populations while achieving no net loss in other watersheds.
By 2040, increase abundance at 10 long-term monitoring sites.
By 2040, reduce identified threats by 15% to increase brook trout resilience in watersheds supporting healthy populations.

Fish Habitat

Outcome:: Achieve and maintain suitable shallow water fish habitat in tidal and nontidal areas for key species through focused water quality conservation and restoration improvements informed by assessments of habitat and fisheries information.
Improve the quantity and quality of tidal shallow water fish habitat above baseline conditions as determined by a Bay-wide assessment of fish habitat conditions completed in 2026.
Increase the consideration of forage species in fishery management decision-making for key predators by developing annual reports of prey status as good, uncertain or poor.
Improve the quality of nontidal fish habitat by continuing to assess the overall condition and suitability in the watershed to support healthy communities and inform effective restoration, conservation and management actions.
By 2040, improve 270 stream miles of waters impaired by acid mine drainage to continually increase available habitat supporting fish populations.
Develop comprehensive freshwater mussel conservation plans for 10 tributaries and implement key recommendations from at least five of these plans by 2040.

Fish Passage

Dams, culverts and other barriers can disrupt the flow of water, increase the build-up of sediment and block the normal movement of fish. Removing these barriers can restore water flow and allow fish and other aquatic organisms to find food, escape predation and move freely between freshwater and saltwater habitats.

Outcome:: Improve habitat and water quality while creating more resilient and sustainable populations of fish and other aquatic organisms by removing barriers throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s coastal and freshwater rivers and streams.
Restore passage and connectivity to at least 150 miles of aquatic habitat every two years.

Oysters

Healthy oyster reefs promote clean water, provide food and habitat, and in certain situations, protect shorelines from wave erosion. Restoring and protecting oyster reefs in Chesapeake Bay tributaries can help reestablish the species and provide important ecosystem services to the Bay.

Outcome:: Increase ecosystem benefits from oysters through reef habitat restoration, sustainable harvest and aquaculture.
By 2040, restore or conserve at least 2,000 additional acres of oyster reef habitat concentrated primarily in restoration focus areas to provide ecosystem service benefits.
Maintain sustainable oyster abundance through oyster fisheries and aquaculture practices.
Maintain reefs established under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement to achieve restoration success metrics.

Stream Health

Hundreds of thousands of creeks, streams and rivers flow through the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These tributaries provide valuable habitat to plants and animals, and give people places to fish, boat and swim. Restoring the health of rivers and streams benefits fish, wildlife and people and is a key step toward improving water quality in the Bay.

Outcome:: Improve and protect local stream health and function, including their living resources and ecosystem services throughout the watershed, using the best available science to inform land management, planning and conservation.
Improve the health and the ecological integrity of at least an additional 4,340 (approximately 3%) nontidal stream miles every six years.

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)

Underwater grass beds are critical to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. They provide food and shelter to fish and wildlife, add oxygen to the water, absorb nutrient pollution, reduce shoreline erosion and help suspended particles of sediment settle to the bottom. Because they are sensitive to pollution but quick to respond to water quality improvements, underwater grass abundance is a good indicator of the Bay’s health.

Outcome:: Sustain and increase the habitat and ecosystem benefits of SAV in the Chesapeake Bay. Achieve and sustain the outcome of 196,600 acres of SAV Bay-wide necessary for a restored Bay.
Measure progress against the following targets for each salinity zone: Tidal Fresh: 21,700 acres; Low Salinity: 13,100 acres; Medium Salinity: 126,000 acres; High Salinity: 35,800 acres.
Measure progress toward this Outcome against interim targets of 90,000 acres by 2030, 95,000 acres by 2035 and 100,000 acres by 2040.

Wetlands

Healthy wetlands are vital to a healthy Chesapeake Bay. Wetlands help stabilize shorelines, soak up stormwater, protect properties from floods and trap nutrients, sediment and chemical contaminants before they enter waterways. Wetlands also provide food and shelter to fish, frogs, birds and mammals, and support recreational fishing and hunting.

Outcome:: Restore, create, enhance and protect wetlands to support people and living resources, including waterbirds and fish, and provide water quality, flood and erosion protection, recreation and other valuable benefits to people.
Restore or create at least 3,000 acres and enhance 15,000 acres of tidal wetlands by 2040, focusing on habitats that support populations of waterbirds and represent healthy wetlands across the watershed.
Restore or create at least 3,000 acres and enhance 15,000 acres of nontidal wetlands by 2040, focusing on habitats that support populations of waterbirds and represent healthy wetlands across the watershed.