Press Release

August Events, Public Feedback Key to Strengthening Major Federal-State Agreement

As state and federal leaders around the region update the major agreement guiding Chesapeake Bay restoration, this August is a pivotal time to urge stronger measures to protect the Bay.   

A draft update of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed is open for public feedback through Sept. 1, and people across the region can urge leaders to adopt a stronger Bay Agreement. On Aug. 5, the state of Maryland will hold an open house to discuss the agreement, and on Aug. 14 the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) will hold a town hall in Annapolis on ensuring an effective Bay Agreement. 

Since 1983, various iterations of the Bay Agreement have held together the federal-state Bay restoration partnership. Starting in 2010 under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, states in the partnership committed to a 2025 deadline for legally-binding goals to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution. The 2014 agreement included this and additional Bay restoration goals.  

Though states have made notable progress on many Bay Agreement goals, including reducing pollution, they will not meet the 2025 pollution-reduction deadlines. Meanwhile, new science shows how Bay restoration work can be done more efficiently and effectively.  

Last December, the federal and state Bay restoration partners committed to revising the Bay Agreement by the end of 2025. The partnership includes the governors of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York, the mayor of the District of Columbia, state legislators, and leaders at federal agencies.  

These partners have worked toward a more effective agreement, including laudable efforts to bring more voices into the process. However, the draft agreement still falls short.  

The revised Bay Agreement should apply the latest science, implement innovative environmental and economic strategies, and increase accountability. It must:  

• Set one uniform deadline of 2035 across all goals to provide accountability, with regular check-ins every two years; 
• Clearly define targets, including for habitat restoration and pollution reduction; 
• Include the voices and perspectives of Indigenous communities; 
• Address challenges from climate change across goals; and 
• Affirm commitments to meeting the pollution reductions the federal government and states are legally required to meet under the Clean Water Act, despite missing the 2025 deadline. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement.   

“This is a defining moment for the Chesapeake Bay. We have made tremendous progress, but the system remains out of balance. Growing threats from climate change add to the challenge. This August is the chance for everyone to speak up, or risk a future with dirty rivers and streams and a struggling Chesapeake Bay.     

“The current draft of the Bay Agreement is incomplete—and the holes matter. While key goals and outcomes are included, the draft agreement lacks accountability and important details. It falls short in charting the course to clean water, healthy habitats, and engaged communities.  

“To provide accountability, the agreement needs one uniform deadline of 2035 across goals with regular check-ins every two years. Clearly defined targets, including for habitat restoration and pollution reduction, are critical. Including the voices and perspectives of Indigenous communities will strengthen the partnership. Addressing challenges from climate change should be woven into each goal and outcome.   

“Most importantly, the revised Bay Agreement must reaffirm commitments to pollution reductions the federal government and states are legally required to meet under the Clean Water Act. The Bay Agreement adds additional accountability and transparency to reducing pollution to the Bay.  We can’t afford further delay. If those pollution reduction commitments are abandoned, we will explore all options—including litigation.   

“The Chesapeake Bay is home to one of the largest and longest-running environmental restoration movements in the world. We have faced challenges before, banded together to set aggressive goals, and come out stronger. Future generations are counting on us to do it again. We cannot let them down. By working together toward common goals, we can leave a legacy of clean water, thriving marshes, forests, and reefs, and flourishing communities.”  

Results Point to Need for Reaffirmation of Chesapeake Bay Agreement Goals

The checkered recovery of underwater grasses in the Chesapeake Bay persisted this year, with declines in some Maryland waters offsetting promising increases in the Bay’s Virginia portions, according to results released today of the annual 2024 Chesapeake Bay underwater grasses survey in Maryland and Virginia.

Overall, in 2024, the Bay’s underwater grasses decreased by 1 percent when compared to the previous year.

These underwater meadows have many benefits. They improve water quality and provide critical shelter and food for Bay species like the blue crab, migrating water birds, and juvenile fish. They also mitigate climate change through carbon uptake and sequestration, as well as diminish Bay acidification caused in part by greenhouse gas emissions. Sensitive to pollution but rapid responders to water quality improvements, underwater grasses serve as effective barometers of the Bay’s health. 

The recent survey shows the federal-state Bay restoration partnership is off track in meeting targets for grasses, reaching only 64 percent of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement goal of 130,000 acres of underwater grasses by 2025. 

In the moderately salty zone of the Bay, the largest of the zones, underwater grasses decreased by 14 percent, from 38,371 acres to 33,031 acres. The Eastern Shore of Maryland in the Choptank, Little Choptank Rivers, and the Tangier Sound saw the biggest losses. 

In the salty portion of the Bay that extends near Virginia Beach up to Maryland-Virginia border, these underwater meadows increased to 24,800 acres in 2024, the highest coverage since annual mapping began in 1984. The largest gains, according to the survey, took place in Mobjack Bay, Poquoson Flats and nearby Western Shore areas. Eelgrass in particular surpassed all previous monitoring records.

Reducing pollution to the Bay is critical to increasing underwater grass coverage. This restoration work is guided by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The federal and state Bay restoration partners have committed to revising the Bay Agreement by the end of 2025. A draft update is open for public feedback through Sept. 1, and people are encouraged to urge leaders to adopt a stronger Bay Agreement. 

The updated agreement must not only commit to vital goals for grasses and other habitats, but also affirm commitments to reaching the pollution reductions the federal government and states are legally required to meet under the Clean Water Act.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Senior Scientist Joe Wood said in a statement:

“Underwater grasses are essential not only to Bay critters like the blue crab, but also critical in our fight against climate change. They act as temperature refuges and reduce acidification caused in part by greenhouse gas emissions. Virginians should celebrate the eelgrass boom in the lower Bay, particularly in Mobjack Bay, that is creating new housing for crabs, fish, and shrimp. But the recovery is far from certain.  

“Clean water and bountiful grasses are inextricably linked. Virginia and states around the region must commit to a stronger Chesapeake Bay Agreement to leave a healthy Bay for future generations. The Bay agreement goal is more than just a number—it’s a key outline for managing many species in the Bay and the industries that depend on healthy fisheries.”

CBF Maryland Coastal Resource Scientist Julie Luecke issued the following statement: 

“Thriving underwater grasses mean a healthy Bay. But grass declines are a warning sign of deeper problems. Though aquatic grasses flourished in parts of Maryland, they took a big hit along parts of the Eastern Shore, including the Choptank River. Eastern Shore rivers have suffered from increasing pollution in recent years from both development and agriculture. 

“As leaders update the Bay Agreement this year, a strong agreement is critical to holding states accountable and working together for a healthy Chesapeake Bay.” 

In a triumph for outdoor stewardship and clean water, roughly a dozen U.S. veterans and servicemembers joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) this week to restore oyster habitat in Maryland and Virginia.

Both events were part of a larger Chesapeake Bay fishing excursion hosted by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA)’s Armed Forces Initiative (AFI). During the trip, military members from across the nation experienced the Chesapeake Bay’s premiere angling opportunities as part of BHA’s AFI program—a community-based initiative designed to serve military members navigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) through a new mission in natural resource conservation.

“Watching 2.5 million oyster shells turn from restaurant waste into living reef reminds every service member why service still matters,” said Garrett Robinson, Corporate Partnerships Manager and AFI Board member for BHA. “Sweat, saltwater, and a shared mission strip away the noise of transition and let real healing begin—proving that when we restore the Bay, it restores us right back. We’re warriors with a new mission in conservation: a mission bigger than ourselves, bringing peace and solace to lives once filled with chaos. It revives the part of us we left on the battlefield and proves that our land, water, and wildlife are still worth fighting for.”

On their trip, AFI participants gave back to the Bay by helping carry out oyster restoration efforts. Oysters are a bedrock of the Bay’s ecosystem, naturally filtering the water and providing exceptional habitat for many other species, including fish often targeted by anglers such as striped bass, speckled trout, white perch, and red drum.

Chesapeake Bay is home to the most successful oyster restoration effort in the country. After decades of overharvesting, disease, and habitat loss, partners have been able to bring oysters back from the brink of expiration all across the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay partnership is on track to complete its goal to fully restore 11 Bay tributaries for oyster habitat by the end of 2025.

On July 15, AFI members contributed to that goal by processing roughly 2.5 million recycled oyster shells at CBF’s Maryland Oyster Restoration Center in Shady Side. The group then travelled down the Eastern Shore, and on July 17, assembled 115 bags of recycled oyster shells at CBF’s Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach. The bags are used for various oyster restoration work including living shorelines and oyster reefs. The recycled oyster shells come from nearly 100 restaurants across Maryland and Virginia that participate in CBF’s shell recycling program. Thanks to the generosity of SITKA Gear, the AFI participants and the project support was fully funded through their Ecosystem Grant Program.

“CBF is honored to partner with volunteers who have dedicated so much to this country and continue to give back beyond their years of military service,” said CBF’s Maryland oyster restoration coordinator, Kellie Fiala. “Oyster restoration would not be one of the Bay’s greatest success stories without dedicated volunteers like them.”

“People who love fishing in the Chesapeake Bay also love oysters,” said CBF’s Virginia oyster restoration manager, Jackie Shannon. “The oyster reefs we’re building and expanding offer critical habitat for the fish anglers most enjoy. We are grateful that AFI recognized that important connection and wanted to help.”

Volunteers have helped CBF add millions of oysters back into Maryland and Virginia waters. While large scale oyster restoration has been one of the Bay’s greatest success stories, it’s at a critical juncture. Partners are currently defining what the future of oyster restoration should look like by updating current Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals. This process is happening at the same time that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other federal agencies critical to Bay restoration are being dismantled and defunded.

Protecting our natural resources has always been a bipartisan effort, and CBF and BHA urge Congress to fully fund agencies that support oysters, fish, and a healthy Bay.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s largest living shoreline now closer to completion

The “Roots to Reef” initiative spearheaded by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) in the Hampton River reached a critical new milestone this week in its mission to bolster the city’s climate resilience.

Following the installation of oyster castles, the living shoreline has now successfully deployed the 650 innovative Natrx Basalt Shell Bags, a new frontier in oyster restoration consisting of bio-compatible material that provides a stable, resilient, and long-lasting foundation for baby oysters to attach and grow. This marks a significant step forward in the “Roots to Reef” project that will build CBF’s largest living shoreline combined with oyster reefs.

“We are incredibly excited to see our basalt shell bags deployed as part of the Hampton River ‘Roots to Reef’ project,” said Dylan DiBona, Creative Director with Natrx. 

“Our innovative shell bags are designed to provide a robust, eco-friendly foundation for vibrant oyster reefs, accelerating natural restoration processes. Witnessing them integrated into such a vital living shoreline is a testament to what’s possible when cutting-edge technology meets dedicated conservation efforts. We are proud to contribute to the future health of the Chesapeake Bay.”

The Hampton River, a vital artery stretching 3.2 miles, has historically supported local communities through food, recreation, and national security. However, its proximity to a dense population of approximately 138,000 residents has led to challenges like polluted runoff. 

This resilient and natural living shoreline, supported by the Blocker Foundation and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, involves the strategic placement of 5,584 oyster castles, 720 bushels of recycled oyster shells, the 650 Natrx Basalt Shell Bags, 22 coconut fiber coir logs, and 15,000 native wetland plants. It offers a natural solution, creating a dynamic buffer that filters pollutants, provides essential habitat for marine life, and protects against erosion.

Unlike conventional mesh bags, these next-generation Natrx shell bags are crafted from durable basalt fibers, a naturally occurring volcanic rock, which are then filled with recycled oyster shells. 

Their unique structure allows for better water flow, promoting optimal conditions for oyster reef development, while also providing robust protection against erosion and storm surges. Their strength and flexibility enable them to adapt more effectively to dynamic coastal environments and rising sea levels.

“The ‘Roots to Reef’ initiative at Pine Cone Harbour is a testament to nature-based solutions,” said Kati Grigsby, CBF’s Hampton Roads Urban Restoration Coordinator. “It’s truly inspiring to see how these living shorelines, especially with the integration of innovative materials like the Natrx bags, can adapt and strengthen our coastal communities against the impacts of climate change.” 

The “Roots to Reef” project marks the first collaboration between CBF’s Hampton Roads Oyster Team and its Urban Restoration Team on the Hampton River.

Virginia’s leading environmental and governmental partners celebrated the successful completion of commitments to restore oyster reef habitat in six Virginia Chesapeake Bay tributaries on June 2 at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) Brock Environmental Center.

This milestone event marks Virginia’s fulfillment of its portion of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s ambitious goal to restore ten Bay tributaries with oyster reefs by 2025, contributing to what is recognized as the largest oyster restoration project globally.

In Virginia, those tributaries consisted of the Lafayette, Piankatank, Great Wicomico, Elizabeth River, Lynnhaven, and lower York rivers. The Maryland portion restores five tributaries. 

More than 1,000 acres of oyster reefs are part of these projects. 

This event highlighted the collective efforts that have revitalized critical oyster habitats across the Commonwealth, including significant recent work in the Lynnhaven River. 

Partners recognized for their collaborative success in the Lynnhaven River include the Commonwealth of Virginia, Lynnhaven River Now (LRN), Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the City of Virginia Beach. Additional partners supported work in the other five Virginia tributaries as part of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Virginia Oyster Restoration Workgroup.

“This oyster restoration success is a testament to years of dedicated work, scientific innovation, and unwavering partnership,” said Chris Moore, Virginia Executive Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “The completion of these six tributaries is a profound achievement for Virginia and a major leap forward for the health of the entire Chesapeake Bay. Oysters are the Bay’s natural filters, and their return means cleaner water and a healthier ecosystem for everyone.”

The Lynnhaven River stands as a prime example of this success. Due to overharvesting and pollution, a decade ago oyster habitat in the Lynnhaven River remained at a fraction of its historic scale. Thanks to oyster restoration efforts in recent years, the Lynnhaven now has 152 acres of new oyster reef that will enhance water quality and fishing while adding critical habitat for oysters, fish, crabs, shrimp, and other fish.

Funding from key partners, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) under the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, has been instrumental in supporting these critical restoration initiatives.

“The Lynnhaven River has been a focal point of these restoration efforts, and seeing the measurable success of our reefs is incredibly rewarding. This work not only brings back a vital species but also strengthens our connection to the river and its future,” said Karen Forget, Executive Director of Lynnhaven River Now.

Volunteers help proactively tackle microplastic threat in Chesapeake Bay  

More than 48,000 pounds of litter will stay out of Virginia’s waterways thanks to over 2,600 volunteers who joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) annual Clean the Bay Day, Virginia’s largest and longest-running litter and shoreline cleanup.   

“What started off as just a chat among neighbors back in 1989 has ignited Virginia’s most impactful cleanup movement. This past Saturday, that collective power was palpable across the state,” said CBF Grassroots Coordinator Lisa Renee Jennings. “Volunteers didn’t just clear trash; they tackled the invisible threat of microplastics and created connections as they united for the common goal of a healthier, plastic-free Bay for generations to come.” 

On June 7, 2,698 volunteers and more than 60 CBF partners gathered at over 200 sites in Richmond, Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and at Virginia State Parks. While the vast majority of the partners have reported and numbers will increase, preliminary totals show 48,880 pounds of litter and debris were removed from beaches, parks, shorelines, streams, rivers, streets, and lakes.   

Since 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged about 177,000 volunteers who have removed approximately 7.1 million pounds of debris from across our land and waterways.  

This year’s litter removal played a critical role in mitigating the pervasive threat of microplastics and other pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. Litter like plastic bottles and cups break down into microplastics and wash into the Bay.   

Litter, especially plastic, doesn’t just disappear. It breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, known as microplastics, which contaminate the Bay’s water and sediment. More than 90 percent of microplastics that enter in the Bay stays in the Bay.  

These microplastics can be ingested by fish and animals in the water, entering the food chain and potentially harming wildlife and even human health. Additionally, larger debris can entangle animals and degrade the natural beauty of the Bay.  

As in previous years, the most common items found during this year’s cleanup were plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers, plastic bags, and cigarette butts. But volunteers recovered many larger items, including an 8-foot pipe, a palette with milk jugs attached, a plastic car fender, and a headboard.  

Unusual items included a Santa’s reindeer, dentures, a paintball gun, a fresh cup of salsa, a marble countertop, and hot wheels underwear.      

Among the volunteers were many elected officials, other community leaders, service members, Scout groups, small businesses, large corporations, and thousands of other Virginians.   

“Roots to Reef” Initiative Connects Oyster Reefs with Living Shoreline that Combats Climate Change

In Hampton this week, a major new initiative is underway by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to protect the city from climate change threats by building its largest living shoreline combined with oyster reefs. 

As part of the “Roots to Reef” initiative, CBF staff and volunteers this week planted the first oyster castles as part of the living shoreline. 

The Hampton River, stretching 3.2 miles long, has historically served as a hub for food, recreation, and national security. But with the dense surrounding population of approximately 138,000 residents living within a 51 square mile area, the river faces polluted runoff from streets, parking lots, and buildings. 

Living shorelines offer an effective natural alternative to protecting shorelines from storms, erosion, and pollution when compared with traditional hardened structures like seawalls, which often fail over time. In addition, oysters filter algae, sediment, and other pollutants while oyster reefs provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other Bay organisms. 

This resilient and natural approach to tidal shoreline protection made possible by the Blocker Foundation and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hampton will involve the strategic placement of 5,584 oyster castles, 720 bushels of recycled oyster shells, 650 innovative Natrx Basalt Shell Bags, and 22 coconut fiber coir logs near the Pine Cone Harbour Condominiums along the densely populated Hampton River. 

“This Roots to Reef initiative at Pine Cone Harbour creates a natural buffer and filtration system at the water’s edge. We’re really connecting the dots here—the work we do on the land directly influences the health of the water, and vice versa” said Kati Grigsby, CBF’s Hampton Roads Urban Restoration Coordinator. “The end result is a more resilient and interconnected ecosystem along the urban Hampton River. Unlike hardened shoreline projects such as concrete sea walls, living shorelines are designed to evolve and migrate with rising sea levels.”

The Pine Cone Harbour Living Shoreline project marks a groundbreaking collaboration between CBF’s Hampton Roads Oyster Team and its Urban Restoration Team. In an unprecedented effort, both teams are implementing restoration projects directly offshore from one another, creating an integrated approach using both living shorelines and oyster reefs to confront the threats of climate change.

Living shorelines strategically combine the planting of native wetland plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees along the tidal waterline along with materials including oyster reefs, coconut fiber coir logs, and basalt shell bags. While hardened structures may offer short-term stabilization, they cannot adapt to increased storm activity and sea-level rise in the same way living shorelines do. This exacerbates erosion in adjacent areas. 

The hard work of dozens of volunteers has made this project possible. 

AquaCon’s Cecil County Facility Could Further Damage Susquehanna River Aquatic Habitat

To stop new pollution from entering the already-impaired Susquehanna River, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) filed a court petition raising major concerns about a key permit for the proposed AquaCon salmon farm in Cecil County. CBF believes this permit will not adequately protect water quality, underwater grasses, and spawning areas for striped bass, perch, and other key species in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. 

The petition for judicial review, filed in Circuit Court for Cecil County, challenges Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) permit for purge water discharge. Purge water is generated when fish are held for several days prior to harvest to rid them of an off-taste. 

MDE’s current permit would allow AquaCon to discharge 1.9 million gallons of purge water per day directly into the Susquehanna—one of the Bay’s largest tributaries that contributes 50 percent of the total freshwater input to the Bay. The property is roughly five miles upriver from the famed Susquehanna Flats underwater grass beds, which provide habitat for many iconic species including American and hickory shad, blueback herring, and alewife. 

Not only do land-based salmon farms use copious amounts of water, but they also have a troubling track record. Similar companies have reported mass fish die offs in Florida and Canada, as well as fires and potential water contamination in Denmark.  

“Land-based salmon farms are relatively new and unpredictable,” said Paul Smail, CBF Vice President for Litigation. “Knowing the prior failures of these types of plants, and that the Susquehanna River is already overloaded with nutrient pollution, MDE’s permit must protect against these risks.” 

In 2022, AquaCon attempted to build a similar facility in Federalsburg, Maryland near Marshyhope Creek, a spawning ground for Atlantic sturgeon. The project spurred tremendous community pushback and was abandoned by the company. In September 2024, AquaCon decided to relocate the proposed facility and purchased roughly 160 acres at Port Deposit’s Bainbridge development, a former naval training camp in Cecil County.  

Discharge from AquaCon’s facility would contribute to nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution coming down the Susquehanna River. Too much pollution can promote algae growth and create low-oxygen dead zones, reducing water clarity that underwater grasses in the Susquehanna Flats need to survive. The degradation of these underwater grass beds would be detrimental not only to recreational and commercial fishermen, but also to hunters since many species of waterfowl frequent the area for rest and feeding during their annual migrations. 

“The Susquehanna River is already overloaded with nitrogen and sediment pollution that runs off of farms and suburban developments,” said Gussie Maguire, CBF Maryland Staff Scientist. “While we have made tremendous progress reducing that pollution, development pressure continues to strain the health of our waterways. MDE must adequately consider this risk for new, experimental projects like AquaCon.” 

The discharge permit for purge water is just one of several permits AquaCon will need to complete this project. Purge water is generated when the fish are held for several days prior to harvest. This process is required to remove geosmin, a protein that gives farm-raised salmon a musty, unpalatable flavor if not removed through the purging process. This purge water, and any nutrients and sediment it contains, will be dumped directly into the Susquehanna River, restricted only by the terms of the discharge permit. 

The permit does require AquaCon to achieve net zero discharge of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution entering the Susquehanna, meaning that any release of nutrients must be offset by other reductions elsewhere. However, the facility is expected to meet that requirement by purchasing nutrient offsets from currently unidentified sources, not by improving the water quality of its purge water discharge. 

Additionally, the existing permits that MDE used as reference for AquaCon’s permit—which were issued to facilities in Maine—have yet to actually operate or have since expired. A final permit must also include AquaCon’s plans for potential catastrophic failure of the plant, which have yet to be made or presented to MDE. 

CBF will be working to ensure MDE’s permit is strengthened to adequately consider the imminent threats to the Susquehanna Flats and nearby aquatic habitats. 

Statement from Chesapeake Bay Foundation fisheries experts

As striped bass prepare to spawn in Maryland and Virginia rivers this month, experts believe the species may benefit from the Chesapeake Bay region’s snowier and colder winter. Historically, cold weather conditions have produced strong year classes of striped bass—when reproduction levels are high and young fish can grow into the large, iconic rockfish targeted by anglers. 

Experts with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) expect a colder winter could support striped bass spawning success this spring. However, winter temperatures are just one factor among many. Maryland and other Bay states are also now experiencing drought conditions, which reduces viable spawning habitat and could negate the positive effects of a colder winter. 

Striped bass recruitment, or breeding success, in Maryland has been far below average for six consecutive years. Several conditions including water quality, overfishing, invasive predators like blue catfish, and warming water temperatures due to climate change, could be causing these tragically low numbers. These results are especially alarming considering the Chesapeake Bay produces between 70 to 90 percent of all striped bass on the East Coast. 

Each year, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conducts a juvenile index survey to measure striped bass recruitment in Maryland. DNR scientists agreed that this year’s cold and snowy winter could result in above-average success. 

Striped bass prefer cooler water temperatures. For one, cold winters are better for tiny crustaceans called copepods that juvenile striped bass eat. Additionally, when water temperatures get too warm in the summer months, striped bass are easily stressed and more likely to die when caught by anglers, even if promptly released.  

A year of cooler weather could help produce a stronger year of reproduction and could also help scientists indicate whether environmental conditions are the main driver of low recruitment, or if other challenges like invasive species and fisheries management should be more closely considered. 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will convene in May to discuss potential management changes for striped bass fishing, including changing size limits and seasonal closures. It is critical that we consider every possible action to optimize striped bass recruitment and secure the iconic species’ future. 

Allison Colden, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement: 

“While we were shivering and shoveling this past winter, striped bass were cheering. We are hopeful that last winter’s cold weather might lead to more juvenile striped bass this spring, as we’ve seen in the past. But with a drier and warmer spring, and less predictable weather patterns, we should also use these conditions as a benchmark to reassess why striped bass are struggling and where we need to focus our efforts. 

“Many factors that threaten striped bass are near impossible to control—warmer and less predictable temperatures from climate change, and pervasive predators like blue catfish. But there are things we can control, such as when and how we fish for striped bass, and how the fishery is managed. 

“We hope that this year’s chilly winter days and frequent snow flurries result in a stronger year class of striped bass. But we also hope ASMFC and fisheries managers are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to save this species before it’s too late.” 

Chris Moore, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director, issued the following statement: 

“While we are all hopeful that nature may offer a temporary boost to striped bass spawning with a colder winter, it is obvious the species is now dealing with a host of stressors that are negatively affecting reproduction. This winter’s weather may lead to more young striped bass this spring, but the long-term climate trends remind us of the likely need for practices to increase the sustainability of the striped bass population.  

“The threats of climate change, invasive species, and habitat availability have made striped bass news feel like a rollercoaster. For a species this culturally and economically important, we should seize this moment not just to be hopeful about a possible increase in young fish, but to implement robust management strategies that ensure the long-term health and resilience of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay.” 

Committee to develop policy solutions to costly damaging weather driven by climate change

The Virginia Senate on Tuesday announced the appointment of Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford to the legislative committee dedicated to addressing recurrent flooding across the Commonwealth.  

The Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding, comprised of members of the Virginia Senate, House of Delegates, and citizen representatives, will focus on developing comprehensive legislative solutions to aid communities in persistent problems related to Virginia’s most costly natural hazard: flooding.  

The committee is charged with developing and recommending short- and long-term strategies to address the growing challenges posed by rising sea levels and increased rainfall, driven largely by climate change. Their work will directly impact the resilience and sustainability of communities throughout the state. 

The Commonwealth has experienced a temperature increase of more than 1.5°F since the beginning of the 20th century, according to NOAA. Projections indicate further significant warming throughout this century, especially under higher air pollutant emissions scenarios.  

Sea levels along Virginia’s coastline are rising at an accelerating rate, exacerbating flood risks. Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore are particularly vulnerable, ranking among the most at-risk areas in the nation. Recent estimates show that 250,000 acres of land, 1,469 miles of roads, and property valued at $17.4 billion lie less than five feet above the high-tide line in Virginia. 

Additionally, Virginia has seen an increase in heavy precipitation events, leading to more frequent and intense flooding, and an increase in the number of billion-dollar weather disaster events. These factors underscore the urgency of the committee’s work. 

Jay Ford, Virginia Policy Manager for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Managing Partner with the Old Dominion University (ODU) Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience and CBF partnership, brings an extensive background in natural resource policy and resilience planning to the committee.  

Ford released the following statement:  

“I am deeply honored to join this vital committee and contribute to the development of solutions that will help Virginia communities navigate the increasing challenges of rising waters and intensified rainfall. 

“The impacts of climate change are undeniable on our communities, coastlines, and economy. It is imperative that we work collaboratively to ensure our communities are prepared and resilient for the future. 

“The committee’s efforts will help safeguard Virginia’s communities and natural resources for the next generation by emphasizing proactive, science-based approaches to mitigate flood risks and enhance community preparedness.”