Tag Archives: Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources
Federal Aid Denied: Maryland’s Battle Against Blue Catfish Takes a Hit
In the ongoing struggle to mitigate the impact of blue catfish on the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem, Governor Wes Moore’s proactive approach, from last year, faces a setback as the request for a fishery resource disaster declaration has been denied by the federal government. Blue catfish, a persistent problem in the Chesapeake Bay waterway for decades, pose a threat to the delicate balance of the ecosystem by preying on baby crabs, rockfish, and menhaden—integral components of the livelihood for commercial watermen. Maryland’s fishery revenue has already experienced a significant decline of 24%, falling short of the federal government’s required 35% decline to classify the invasive species as a disaster. Lynn Fegley, the Director of Fishing and Boating Services at Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), warns of potential future impacts on commercial fisheries. Video, more, >>click to read<< 10:35
Here’s why workers are digging Chesapeake Bay blue crabs out of the mud this month
On a recent gray January morning, they were working a section of the upper Chesapeake Bay off Rock Hall on the Eastern Shore. Capt. Roger Morris, a Dorchester County waterman who works under contract with the state’s department of natural resources, dropped a Virginia dredge off the stern of F/V Mydra Ann, his 45-foot Bay workboat, and let the attached chain pay out until the dredge hit bottom 20-some feet below, jolting the boat. A Virginia dredge refers to an eight foot wide piece of equipment with an attached net that gets dropped into the water to dredge for crabs. Morris eased the throttle forward and dragged the dredge through the mud for one minute at three knots, then hauled it back up, pausing to rinse the mud out before bringing it on board. photos, >click to read< 19:08
This invasive fish population is exploding as native Blue Crab populations hit record lows.
The invasive species in question is the blue catfish, a species so large it has become known as the “River Monster of the Potomac ” and other major Chesapeake Bay tributaries. The catfish’s diet includes native Blue Crabs. A November 2021 study from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science reports the catfish consumed as many as 2.3 million crabs per year from a study area in the lower James River. The first blue catfish were intentionally imported into the James River in Virginia during the 1980s. The species is native to the Mississippi valley. The fish are huge and consume almost any other species of wildlife they can encounter, catch and swallow, including crabs and other shellfish, Love said. Researchers have found the blue catfish will even eat ducks. >click to read< 07:59
Lost Crab Pots: Not as Bad as We Thought?
Back in 2016, a team of scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science said watermen lost an astounding number—145,000 crab pots, leading to the deaths of millions of dollars’ worth of crabs trapped in those pots. But a different panel of scientists says it’s not as bad as they originally thought. Glenn Davis, who chairs the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee, told a winter meeting of fisheries managers that the VIMS numbers are wrong.,,, But once the VIMS study was out there, it was hard to take back. And sure enough, somebody tried to monetize it.>click to read<09:05
Maryland’s DNR chief won’t say why he fired longtime manager of crab program
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark J. Belton on Monday offered lawmakers no explanation for why he fired the longtime manager of the state’s crab program days after watermen complained to Gov. Larry Hogan about the employee. Belton repeatedly declined to justify the dismissal during a joint hearing with the House and Senate environmental committees, as Democratic lawmakers questioned whether the termination of , a 28-year state employee, was politically motivated. “Isn’t it true that since you couldn’t give these watermen what they wanted by changing crab policy, you gave them something else — Brenda Davis’s job?” asked Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George’s).Belton, who said he could not comment on personnel matters, said that critics were “trying to make connections where there are none” and that Hogan (R) had nothing to do with the dismissal. “It was my decision, and my decision alone,” he said. continue reading the story here 08:22
The sinking of New Hope: A wooden trawler, a Vietnamese fisherman, and a cleanup job
Worms opened the wooden hull and in washed the green water and silver minnows. The fishermen spoke less of salvaging the 63-foot trawler left in the harbor of West Ocean City. The New Hope slouched to starboard, then sagged against the bottom sand. Five years went by; the trawler settled in. The shipworms ate away, until all that remained were bones. Bones and questions. The notorious trawler was entangled in a divorce — was the wedding really a wedding? — and a mistake at a Pennsylvania prison, a judge said. The case of the New Hope reached the top of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Read the article here 08:57
