Press Statement

Former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance have been declared the winners of the 2024 presidential election. This comes at a critical juncture for the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, which faces a 2025 deadline under the current cleanup agreement and questions about what comes next.  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement:  

“For almost sixty years, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has been following the science, advocating for clean water, and educating the next generation of environmental leaders. Our commitment to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and ensuring accountability—regardless of who is in the White House or who is in control of Congress or the state houses—has never wavered.  

“As the Trump Administration and other newly elected officials return to Washington, D.C., the next phase of Bay restoration will require bold leadership, partnership, and accountability.  

“As we have since our founding, and with the support of our members, we will continue fighting for clean water and vibrant communities every single day—finding common ground with willing elected officials from both sides of the aisle and at all levels of government. By working shoulder-to-shoulder, we prove that the Bay brings us together while addressing the climate crisis and leaving a legacy of clean water to the next generation. 

“As the federal/state Bay partnership stares down another missed deadline of 2025 and faces uncertainty of what’s to come, we know this: Saving the Bay has always been a unifying goal. 

“In 1984, President Reagan said in his State of the Union address, ‘Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it’s common sense . . . We will begin the long, necessary effort to clean up a productive recreational area and a special national resource—the Chesapeake Bay.’  

“That was a great moment for the Bay and indicative of the extraordinary bi-partisan cooperation the Bay has always inspired because it is so tied to our nation’s history, our culture and heritage, and the livelihoods of everyone who has ever called this ‘land of pleasant living’ their home—even if it’s just for four years in Washington, D.C.  

“Now is not the time to slow down. It is time to double down. We have too much at stake: clean water, healthy communities, and strong economies.”

New Bay Health Indicator a Tool to Guide Future Restoration

Despite a slight improvement from previous years, more than two-thirds of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and streams did not meet clean water standards between 2020 and 2022, according to an assessment by the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program released today.  

However, a new Bay restoration tool offers hope for the future. The report highlighted data from the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load Indicator. 

This indicator combines modeling with monitoring data from streams and rivers across the Bay watershed. The monitoring results provide direct connections to real world outcomes of restoration work, such as performance of practices to reduce pollution to the Bay, as well as the effects of climate change and other factors.

The new assessment reveals that while some of the Bay’s rivers and streams show improving conditions in the last decade, more than half are becoming more polluted or show no change. 

Though there has been important progress, states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed will not meet pollution-reduction commitments by a 2025 deadline. At this crossroads, leaders from across the region are expected to chart a course for the next chapter of Chesapeake Bay cleanup at the Chesapeake Executive Council meeting on Dec. 10 in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Key steps needed at the meeting include attendance in person by each of the Executive Council members, including governors of the six Bay states, and other state, federal, and local leaders. Leaders must also commit to updating the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025 to address new challenges and incorporate the latest science. They should include updated goals and outcomes that are measurable with clear deadlines.  

Alison Prost, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration, issued the following statement: 

“This assessment makes clear that far too much pollution is still reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The good news is, advances in science and monitoring can guide Bay cleanup efforts and help understand their effectiveness. 

“The new Bay indicator will be valuable for Bay restoration in the future and should serve as a tool evaluate of our progress through real-world outcomes. This is key to ensuring true recovery of the Bay.  

“The next step is strong, decisive action from the region’s leaders at the Chesapeake Executive Council meeting in December. There they need to pledge to update the Chesapeake Bay Agreement by the end of 2025, incorporating new deadlines to reduce pollution as quickly as possible while also including lessons learned. It is time for our leaders to recommit to a healthier Chesapeake Bay and better quality of life for the nearly 19 million people in the Bay watershed.”

As a defining moment for Chesapeake Bay restoration approaches, officials proposed a course for the next phase of Bay cleanup on Oct. 25. 

Despite progress, states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed will not meet commitments to reduce pollution to the Bay by a 2025 deadline. On Friday, a committee supporting the Chesapeake Executive Council advanced a charge to update the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement by the end of next year, including new deadlines to meet goals “as quickly as possible.” 

The approved proposal will be considered by the region’s leaders at the Chesapeake Executive Council meeting on Dec. 10 in Annapolis. There the governors of the six Bay watershed states, mayor of D.C., and other federal and state officials, could launch the next phase of Bay cleanup. 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin have already confirmed their attendance. 

With the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint in 2010, the six Bay states and Washington, D.C., in partnership with the federal government, committed to a 2025 deadline to have the practices in place to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution to the Bay. The 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement included this commitment and additional Bay restoration goals. 

As the 2025 deadline approaches, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is urging the region’s leaders to formally recommit to the Bay restoration partnership and goals. Over 1,800 people have submitted public comments to EPA echoing CBF’s call.

Key items approved on Oct. 25 by the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Principals Staff Committee include: 

• Urging attendance in person by each of the Executive Council members, including governors, and other state, federal, and local leaders; 
• A commitment by the Executive Council to update the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by the end of 2025 to address new challenges and incorporate the latest science; and, 
• Update Bay restoration goals and outcomes to ensure they are measurable and time bound, and accomplished as quickly as possible. 

Because the Chesapeake Bay watershed spans many jurisdictions, working together is the only way to ensure clean water across the region. The Chesapeake Executive Council includes the governors of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and New York, the mayor of Washington, D.C., the EPA Administrator, and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. 

Alison Prost, CBF Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration, issued the following statement: 

“This is a defining moment for the nearly 19 million people who live in the Bay watershed.  Strong, decisive action now by the Chesapeake Executive Council is our best chance for a healthy Chesapeake Bay in the future. 

“It’s up to leaders to come together in person on December 10, recommit to the Bay restoration partnership, and pledge to update the Chesapeake Bay Agreement’s goals by the end of 2025. 

“States must still meet goals to reduce pollution to the Bay, and set new deadlines measured in years, not decades.  An updated Bay agreement should not only incorporate the latest science, but also ensure outcomes that benefit all people and wildlife across the watershed. The process should remain transparent and open to the public. 

“History shows us that Chesapeake Bay restoration progress only happens when people of all walks of life and political stripes come together around a common goal. With climate change and development pressures looming, we’re at a crossroads. Life around the Bay watershed could get better—or worse. Our leaders must act now for clean water, vibrant economies, and a high quality of life for future generations.”

CBF Applauds Decision as Necessary Precautionary Measure for Struggling Species

Virginia state regulators decided against lengthening the blue crab harvest season on Oct. 28, maintaining previously adopted regulations for a struggling population that supports one of the Commonwealth’s most valuable and iconic fisheries.  

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) voted 6-1 on October 28 against extending the commercial crab pot harvest in December 2024 and against opening the season earlier in March 2025. 

If they had been approved, the changes would have come on top of an already-approved, early December season extension and an increase in the number of hours watermen can work each day. The VMRC received 513 letters mostly opposing the extension, according to VMRC staff.

The most recent annual assessment of the blue crab population in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries show continued low numbers of adult females and males. Highlights from the survey include:

• Estimated total crab abundance at 317 million blue crabs, a slight reduction from last year’s 323 million blue crabs but above the 2022 record low estimate of 227 million crabs. 
• Adult female crab population decreased to 133 million compared with 152 million last year. This figure falls far below the target of 215 million adult female crabs needed for a healthy population and sustainable harvest in the Chesapeake Bay.  
• Juvenile crab numbers remained below average for the fifth year in a row.
• Male crab numbers decreased from 55 million in 2023 to 46 million in 2024 despite male harvest limits instituted last year.

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

“Virginia regulators made wise decisions to keep the winter blue crab harvest closed and not extend the crab pot season any further. The scientific study known as a stock assessment is underway and will shed additional light on the variety of factors affecting the blue crab populations. In the meantime, the VMRC’s votes bolster a holistic precautionary approach for Virginia’s blue crab management.”

“Extending the crab pot season would have put additional pressure on an iconic species that supports a historic and valuable fishery in Virginia. By maintaining the current harvest regulations, we can help ensure a sustainable future for this valuable resource.”

Further fishing restrictions likely following special December meeting

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) reviewed results yesterday from its coastwide 2024 Striped Bass Stock Assessment update, which indicated that fish numbers remain below sustainable levels. The updated assessment shows that although actions taken since 2019 have reduced striped bass mortality, the population is still considered overfished. Based on these results, rebuilding the striped bass population by the intended 2029 goal is unlikely without additional management action.  

The Board voted to meet again in December to consider further action. This additional time will allow technical staff to develop options for new limits that can be implemented in the 2025 fishing season.  

The species is also seeing consistently low recruitment, meaning young bass are not surviving in numbers necessary to restore the population. Earlier this month, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Virginia Institute of Marine Science released their annual striped bass juvenile index survey, which revealed for the sixth consecutive year that young striped bass fell far below the long-term average. 

To address rising concerns over the striped bass population, ASMFC has already implemented several additional regulations. Most recently in January 2024, ASMFC issued new limits for the size and number of fish that can be harvested. States have also taken action. Maryland DNR prohibited fishing for striped bass from July 16 through July 31 when temperatures are highest and fish are most vulnerable, and recently shut down Maryland’s trophy fishing season. 

This week the ASMFC Board determined that at least an additional 15 percent reduction in fishing mortality would be necessary for the stock to have a 50 percent probability of rebuilding to sustainable levels by 2029. However, options to achieve that reduction were not available at the time of the meeting.  

Therefore, ASMFC voted to meet in December to consider additional conservation measures for the 2025 fishing season for both the commercial and recreational fisheries. Conservation measures for the Board to consider will be developed by the Striped Bass Technical Committee. This action will position the Board to take action for the 2025 fishing seasons.  

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

“The current trajectory of our striped bass population is alarming. Without continued diligence by ASMFC and proactive conservation by the Board, the possibility of rebuilding the striped bass stock will continue to slip further from our reach. Protecting the remaining strong year classes spawned in 2015 and 2018 must be a top priority for any management actions considered by the Board in December. We cannot delay efforts to protect these important spawning fish.” 

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

“Despite recent management actions, striped bass continue to struggle. It is obvious that conditions have changed and striped bass will not have the same recovery they had in the 1980s. Warmer water from climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species are all making it very hard for striped bass to bounce back. While reviewing this latest young of the year survey, stock assessment, and future 2024 data, ASMFC should consider that striped bass will need continued intervention in order to fully restore this iconic Chesapeake Bay species.” 

Precautionary measures needed to protect menhaden-dependent ecosystem

Following reports of osprey chicks starving in areas of the Chesapeake Bay where they depend on menhaden for food, a workgroup tackling the issue gave its initial report to the East Coast’s fishery managers Oct. 22.  

It was the first update the workgroup provided to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) since it was established in August 2024. The workgroup’s formation came after scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) presented the latest data for osprey abundance and nesting failure in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. 

ASMFC charged the workgroup with considering management actions, including time and area closures for Chesapeake Bay menhaden fisheries, that would protect important fish and bird predators that rely on menhaden for food. 

USGS researchers noted that the generally accepted reproductive rate for osprey population maintenance is 1.15 young for each active nest. In 2021, the average number of osprey young per nest was 0.3, setting the Bay’s osprey population on a declining trajectory. This corroborates data from the College of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology, which revealed failing osprey nests in menhaden-dependent areas of the Bay. 

Osprey are one of many species that depend on the small, nutrient-packed fish for food. Menhaden also feed striped bass, dolphins, and humpback whales.  

But the ASMFC’s current ecosystem model bases menhaden fishing limits only on what’s required to feed a healthy striped bass population. Whether these limits are sufficient to feed a growing population of osprey is unknown. 

The colossal industrial menhaden fishery is based in Virginia. However, scientific data on the impact on industrial menhaden fishing on the Chesapeake Bay is lacking, necessitating precautionary action to protect ospreys and other wildlife currently suffering from insufficient forage.  

According to this week’s update, the menhaden workgroup is in need of additional time to collect and review pertinent life history data for fish and bird species of interest to develop time and area closures in response to the Board’s request. The workgroup is expected to present its final findings in spring 2025.  

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

“We know that ospreys are starving in their nests in areas of the Chesapeake Bay where they depend on menhaden for food. Regardless of the cause, fisheries managers must take action to prevent further tragedy. ASMFC should limit menhaden fishing when and where osprey most depend on them for food.  

“The establishment of the ASMFC Menhaden Board Workgroup is a step in the right direction, but the workgroup must redouble its focus on the task at hand to develop meaningful precautionary measures prior to the spring ASMFC meeting. More needs to be done to ensure the long-term health of menhaden and their key role in the food chain. Additionally, Virginia must fully fund a study of the impacts of the menhaden fishery on the Bay’s ecosystem.”  

 

Annual juvenile striped bass survey foretells bleak future for the species

Today the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released another year of alarming results from an annual survey of juvenile striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay. For the sixth consecutive year in Maryland and second consecutive year in Virginia, both states’ juvenile indexes fell far below the long-term average. The surveys track recruitment of striped bass, which includes reproductive success and early survival of juvenile fish that were spawned in the spring.

Consistent, record-low levels of recruitment are extremely concerning for the future of the iconic species. Not enough young fish are surviving the challenges of warmer water temperatures, especially in the spawning reaches, and invasive predators like blue catfish. The result will be less large, adult fish that can be targeted by anglers and watermen in the future and delayed rebuilding of the striped bass population. According to the survey, the 2024 young-of-year index for Maryland was 2.0 fish per sample, significantly lower than the long-term average of 11.0. In Virginia, the index was 3.43 fish per sample, with a historic average of 7.77.

Low recruitment in the region has already resulted in increased conservation measures for the striped bass fishery. In January, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) issued new fishery regulations to help reduce adult striped bass mortality, including limits on the size and number of fish that can be harvested. At their next meeting on October 23, ASMFC will review results of an updated coastwide striped bass stock assessment. This long-awaited effort will gauge the overall health of the striped bass population, shedding light on the effectiveness of current regulations and overall health of the striped bass population. 

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

“The annual survey of juvenile striped bass in Chesapeake Bay gives us a sense of what the future will look like. With these latest results, that picture is bleak.

“Juvenile numbers are closely linked to environmental conditions, including water quality and habitat availability in key nursery areas like Chesapeake Bay. Alongside improving the coastwide spawning stock, Bay states must work diligently to reduce threats to young striped bass, including predation from invasive predators like blue catfish. Many people in Maryland rely on striped bass for their food, their businesses, and their futures. Without action, that will all be at risk.”

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

“This year’s results continue a disturbing trend for our most iconic Bay finfish and makes it clear that rebuilding the striped bass population is not guaranteed. We’ve advocated for a host of actions over the years to get striped bass back on the right track. This juvenile survey data proves again that we need to do more to improve spawning success through both habitat improvements and fisheries management actions such as seasonal closures.

“With six consecutive years of poor recruitment, there will be fewer spawning adult fish left to help the population recover. Climate change and invasive predators like blue catfish will also make recovery efforts more challenging. We urge ASMFC to review this data along with the results of the new stock assessment and implement additional conservation measures for the fishery during times when they will make significant conservation gains.”

Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have introduced legislation to create a competitive grant program to support restoring and protecting oyster reefs. 

The Oyster Reef Recovery Act of 2024 would establish an Oyster Restoration and Conservation Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and allow it to dedicate up to $15 million annually for the next five years to oyster recovery work. 

Grants could be used to identify priority reefs for restoration, evaluate the health of oyster reefs, ensure their resilience, build conservation partnerships, develop tools for monitoring the success of recovery work, collaborate on best management practices, and support workforce training, especially to benefit underserved communities. 

The federal government, state, local, or tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, the shellfish industry, and private individuals or entities would be eligible to apply for the grants. 

Oyster reefs are vital to the health of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. They improve water quality, provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other aquatic species, and support a fishery at the heart of the regional economy. Restoring the native population, currently just a small fraction of its historical size due to disease, pollution, and overharvesting, is essential to restoring the Bay and its waterways. 

Virginia and Maryland are on track to successfully restore oyster populations and reef habitat in 11 Bay tributaries by the end of 2025. They committed to this ambitious goal a decade ago in the Chesapeake Watershed Recovery Agreement of 2014. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement: 

“Healthy oyster reefs are essential to a healthy Chesapeake Bay.  

“The Oyster Reef Recovery Act would ensure that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prioritizes recovering these incredible living resources by creating a program explicitly focused on this goal.  

“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation applauds Rep. Kiggans for her bipartisan leadership on restoring this keystone species. We appreciate her efforts to further highlight the importance of a healthy oyster resource and expanding NOAA’s capabilities, which have been instrumental in guiding successful efforts in Virginia and throughout the Chesapeake Bay.”  

Grants Highlight Importance of Virginia’s RGGI Reentry and Investment in Climate Resilience

Another round of grant funding opened this month for projects that strengthen communities’ resilience to climate change and protection from extreme weather through the Community Flood Preparedness Fund.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is encouraging communities to take advantage of this fifth round of grant funding, which supports a variety of projects including flood mitigation measures, stormwater management initiatives, coastal resilience projects, and green projects, that feature natural solutions to flooding. Other grant rounds have supported projects in localities from Petersburg to the Town of Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore to Buchanan County in Southwest Virginia.

The announcement of the grant funding comes as Southern Environmental Law Center lawyers argued in court last week to reinstate Virginia in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI, a multi-state carbon emissions reduction program, was the state’s only dedicated funding source for community-based climate resiliency projects. CBF filed a legal brief in court to support the legal effort. 

RGGI has been instrumental in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as funding the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). CFPF in turn supported these climate adaptation grants. After Virginia withdrew from RGGI, no money was allocated in the second year of the state budget for CFPF. 

The grant round will be open for 60 days, closing on November 9. Learn more about eligibility requirements and the application process. 

Jay Ford, Virginia Policy Manager at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, issued the following statement:

“We’re coming out of the hottest summer on record, and a year where communities across Virginia suffered through extreme weather causing school closures and damage to their homes and businesses. The need for effective climate resiliency projects has never been more urgent and the Community Flood Preparedness Fund gives localities the opportunities to invest in their communities prior to damage occurring. We encourage communities to apply for these grants and invest in solutions that will protect their residents and property from the effects of climate change.”

“It’s an understatement to say it’s disappointing that there’s no money set aside for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund in the second year of the budget. This lack of funding will set back Virginia’s efforts to address climate change and protect its communities. This highlights one of the many reasons Virginia should return to RGGI as soon as possible. CBF continues to advocate for additional General Assembly funding for the CFPF and the state’s participation in RGGI to reduce our emissions and strengthen our resilience to inevitable extreme weather.” 

To protect the health of residents and waterways, the Caroline County Commission unanimously passed new legislation this week that will strengthen local oversight of storage of food processing residuals, also known as industrial sludge or dissolved air flotation (DAF) material.

For over a year, county residents have sought relief from the irresponsible use of food processing residuals being stored and spread in their communities, citing threats to the local environment, rivers and streams, public health, and way of life. In response, County Commissioners passed a moratorium in December on the use of land or structures for the material’s storage. Then in July, Commissioners proposed permanent legislation that would require parties storing food processing residuals in Caroline County to hold a permit and meet certain conditions intended to protect the public and environment from harm. 

This action complements recently-enacted state legislation requiring a permit for the handling, transportation, storage, and land application of sludge material on farmland. Caroline County Commissioners provided extensive testimony that was key to the state permit program legislation’s passage. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Advocacy Director, Alan Girard, issued the following statement:

“Caroline County has been a statewide leader in responding to the need to better regulate food processing residuals in Maryland. They heard the concerns of their constituents and acted on them.

“Misuse and misapplication of food processing residuals are a major threat to Maryland’s environment and health. Caroline’s county-level action, combined with state legislation, will provide residents with strong protections against misuse of this material, and will ultimately help prevent Maryland farms from being a dumping ground for sludge. We commend the Caroline County Commissioners for prioritizing residents, health, and the environment.”