Save the Bay News: Oysters, Hope for Menhaden, and Spring at CBF’s Farm

This month, our newsletter looks ahead to what’s next for oyster restoration, provides an update on the growing momentum to fund menhaden science, and introduces some new faces at CBF’s Clagett Farm. It also shares plenty of ways to get involved!

“This is one of my biggest wins of the session so far,” said Del. Phil “The Pearl” Hernandez, the 2026 Oyster Eating Champion at CBF’s annual oyster event for Virginia’s General Assembly. Whether the oysters will have similar wins to celebrate is yet to be seen, but they certainly helped attract a lot of attention to clean water issues in both Maryland and Virginia as CBF staff and partners served them up to legislators. The events celebrated the success of oyster restoration efforts in the Bay (Maryland recently reported the second-highest numbers of juvenile oysters since 1985) but also raised alarms about legislation that could cut funding and support for restoration and other clean water programs. At the same time, CBF is prepping for a busy oyster restoration season that includes projects in the Severn and South Rivers, as well as the development of the new Truman T. Semans Center for Oyster Restoration and Innovation. If you’re inspired, you can help support our efforts—donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to the Lawson family.

Oysters are of course just one foundation of a healthy Bay. We’re also fighting to keep alive funding for science on menhaden, small fish that are critical to the Bay’s food web; focusing attention on chronic sewage pollution; sharing solutions for restoring impaired streams in Pennsylvania; and inviting the public to see the benefits of regenerative agriculture in action at CBF’s Clagett Farm.

Valerie DiMarzio

What’s Next for Oyster Restoration

Oysters naturally filter the Bay’s water, provide essential habitat for fish and other species, support a robust local seafood economy, and help mitigate the threats of climate change. From major reef ball and living shoreline projects to the development of our new Truman T. Semans Center for Oyster Restoration and Innovation, CBF is scaling up oyster restoration this year.

Valerie DiMarzio/CBF Staff

New Life, New Faces at CBF’s Farm

Spring is in full bloom at CBF’s Clagett Farm. The team is gearing up to welcome dozens of baby lambs and calves, as well as plant spring vegetables. Meet new staff members and learn more about regenerative farming (and how you can get involved as a volunteer, a CSA shareholder, or a guest) at our Clagett Farm Open House on April 18!

Sue Mangan

New Momentum for Menhaden

Virginia’s General Assembly did not advance several promising pieces of legislation during the 2026 session that would have protected menhaden, a small fish that is critical to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Nonetheless, the special budget session next month will give lawmakers an opportunity to invest in scientific research needed to understand and manage menhaden as warning signs mount.

CBF Staff

Water Pollution Shouldn’t Be Normal

“As devastating as the recent Potomac sewage spill is, the more painful truth is that it is common,” wrote CBF President Hilary Harp Falk in a letter published by the Washington Post this month. Leaders need to address frequent smaller spills—as well as chronic pollution that washes from city streets and farms—with a similar sense of urgency and concern.

CBF Staff

Slurping in Session

With an oyster eating contest in Richmond and a fresh-shucked roast on the first warm day in Annapolis, CBF staff and advocates celebrated oysters and their many benefits with lawmakers in Virginia and Maryland. Amid all the fun was a serious reminder: The comeback of this Chesapeake treasure depends on continued support for clean water.

In the News

Juvenile oysters reached their second highest numbers in Maryland since 1985: The strong oyster count shows that restoration and sanctuary protections are working, but continued progress is under threat by proposed legislation and budget cuts.

Uncertainty and frustration remain one month after Potomac River sewage spill: The release of approximately 243 million gallons of sewage following a pipeline breach on Jan. 19 underscores the risks from aging sewage systems across the region.

Chronic sewage spills plague Maryland waterways and communities: Multiple Maryland communities have experienced harmful wastewater overflows in recent weeks, right on the tail of a historic sewage spill in the Potomac River.

About 37 percent of Pennsylvania rivers and streams are impaired: The draft water quality report shows which waterways are failing, why they’re failing, and where investments can make the greatest difference.

CBF and Hampton University to develop pioneering living shoreline course: The course, one of the first in the country, will teach students how to design and permit their own living shoreline as well as create more than 1,200 feet of shoreline protection, almost an acre of new wetlands, and new oyster habitat along the banks of the university’s campus.

Bill to launch new market for Chesapeake blue catfish passes U.S. House: The bipartisan legislation will help watermen catch and sell more Chesapeake blue catfish as pet and animal food.

Shop the CBF Store

Gearing Up for Warmer Weather

Rain, sun, or snow, the CBF Store is always open. Our new arrivals are made for whatever weather spring sends your way.

What You Can Do

• It’s your last chance to submit a photo in the 2026 Save the Bay Photo Contest! Submit your best photo by 5:00 p.m. today and you could win a cash prize.
• Help save the Bay this Earth Day by throwing your own Earth Day fundraiser using our free and easy-to-use tool, BayRaiser!
• Join us for an upcoming event! In Virginia, registration is open for the 37th annual Clean the Bay Day, our largest volunteer cleanup event. And in Maryland, be sure to snag your spot on the beach for the 2026 Bands in the Sand in Annapolis before early bird pricing ends—get your tickets now!
• Marylanders, we need your help to get the state budget over the finish line. Join us in thanking legislators for focusing on the environment and asking them to finish the job of passing a Bay-focused budget. Not in Maryland? There are plenty of opportunities for you to show your support for important Bay issues. Head to our Take Action page to learn more.
• It’s time for our favorite quiz! Test your knowledge and find out how much of an oyster expert you really are in our oyster quiz.
• 2X Match: Save the Oyster, Save the Bay. Kick off our spring oyster restoration efforts with a donation and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to the Lawson family.

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