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Maryland Sea Grant

@mdseagrant.bsky.social

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We’re a partnership with NOAA and administered by UMCES, funding #research, #education, & #outreach throughout the state of #Maryland. RTs ≠ endorsements. Website: mdsg.umd.edu Chesapeake Quarterly magazine: chesapeakequarterly.net

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Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · Jun 16

What makes a shoreline “living”—and lasting? Explore how engineered living shorelines are helping to stabilize shores around the Chesapeake Bay in the latest issue of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine → https://arcg.is/1GTfaa5

📸: Logan Bilbrough / UME MDSG

The cover of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine volume 24, number 1 featuring an aerial photo of a sandy living shoreline alongside a forest and homes with the issue title "Restoration Takes Root: Living Shorelines for Changing Coasts"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 10h

Blue crabs aren’t just a favorite catch; they’re also the Bay’s most valuable commercial fishery. It wouldn’t be #SeafoodMonth without celebrating this Chesapeake classic!

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 10h

Is any animal more iconic to the #ChesapeakeBay than the blue crab? 🦀 Since 1990, Maryland and Virginia have monitored blue crab populations through the annual Winter Dredge Survey. 2025 results estimate 238 million crabs in the Bay, down from 317 million last year.

A basket full of live blue crabs with the text "Celebrating Seafood Month"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 1d

For 60 years, Black captains have left Kent Narrows with boats full of passengers to catch croaker, perch, and spot. It’s a tradition fathers have passed to sons, but those who do it today worry they'll be the last generation. Read more in our Chesapeake Quarterly archives: https://loom.ly/BUgyuBc

A Legacy of Captains

Headboats helped Black watermen on Kent Island earn a living on their own terms

storymaps.arcgis.com

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 2d

At the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory, 16 acres of the Choptank River are a living lab for aquaculture research. On this Oyster Demonstration Farm, researchers and extension specialists experiment with gear and methods, working with oyster growers to advance aquaculture.
#SeafoodMonth

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 5d

Curious about septic systems? Join MOWPA and University of Maryland Extension for a free open house at the new Onsite Wastewater Treatment Demonstration Facility.
📆 Oct. 14, 11am-2 pm
📍 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD
🎟️ Register: https://loom.ly/4nkeReQ

An aerial view of an onsite wastewater treatment demonstration facility

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 6d

Don't miss the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory Open House this Saturday, Oct. 11! Explore marine science and research happening across the #ChesapeakeBay. This free, family-friendly event includes an oyster hatchery tour, science activities, kids' crafts, and food vendors. More: https://loom.ly/-hV8gPo

A graphic with the text "October 11, 2025, 11 am to 4 pm, 2020 Horns Point Road, Cambridge, MD 21613, umces.edu/hpl, Horn Point Laboratory Open House, Science fun for all ages! Free, rain or shine, interactive exhibits, free T-shirts for kids, food vendors"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 7d

New to a septic system? Join Extension specialist Andy Lazur for a free #webinar next week! He'll go over the basics and share what you need to know to maintain the health of your #SepticSystem.

📆 Oct. 15, 2025
🕐 12 p.m. EST
👉 Register here: https://loom.ly/bDsMbyc

A lush green marsh with water and trees and a small house in the distance

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 8d

Try something new this #NatlTacoDay—Chesapeake Blue Catfish Tacos! #BlueCatfish are invasive in the #ChesapeakeBay. These tacos are a perfect balance of flavors, and a delicious way to turn an ecological challenge into a culinary win. 👉 Get the recipe: https://arcg.is/1X9bHv
#SeafoodMonth

Photo of blue catfish tacos with text "Blue catfish tacos; made in Maryland"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 9d

Oyster farmers had a big haul in 2024. 🦪 Maryland's oyster aquaculture industry harvested more than 81,000 bushels of #oysters last year. Learn more about #Maryland's oyster aquaculture trends in University of Maryland Extension's online tool: https://loom.ly/STV0y1I
#SeafoodMonth

A man on a pier wearing waders, a jacket, and gloves sprays oyster shells with a hose. Text on the image says "Celebrating Seafood Month"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 12d

As an aspiring scientist, Sabine Malik has seen her work evolve to include aspects of pure and applied #science—and she's grown to appreciate them both. 🔬🐟 Find out more about our graduate #research fellow's science journey in her latest blog post: https://loom.ly/mhPZ56o

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 13d

Grab your tickets for an unforgettable event, celebrating 100 years of @UMCES scientific research with food, conversation, music, and more.
📆 Thursday, October 9, 2025
🕐 5:30 PM - 8:30 p.m.
📍 Baltimore Museum of Industry
🎟️ Tickets on sale now: https://umces100.org/event/

Illustrations of mountains, fish, DNA, oysters, crabs, leaves, and water with the text "You're invited to an event 100 years in the making. October 9, 2025, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the water's edge, under the pavilion at Baltimore Museum of Industry"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 14d

October is #SeafoodMonth! 🐟 This is a great time of year to put #Maryland seafood on your plate. The iconic trio of oysters, striped bass, and blue crabs sustains coastal economies around our state. As you savor local seafood, thank the watermen and farmers who harvest the seafood we enjoy.

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 15d

For #InternationalTranslationDay, check out these Spanish-language resources on coastal resilience—created with input from Hispanic community members. From disaster preparedness to public health, these tools reflect the priorities people shared with us in focus groups: https://loom.ly/TvZpsaU

A portion of a Spanish language PDF of resources titled "resiliencia costera en comunidades hispanas"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 16d

🍂 Fall is here—and with it comes one of nature’s great journeys. Each year, millions of #birds stop to rest along the #ChesapeakeBay as they migrate south for the winter. Want to spot some of these travelers? Explore birding tips from the Chesapeake Bay Program: https://loom.ly/bIQxCCE

Begin Birding in the Chesapeake

The Chesapeake Bay watershed has countless places to go birding

www.chesapeakebay.net

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 19d

The Bay's value goes beyond dollars. Wetlands filter water, shorelines buffer storms, and diverse habitats support everything from oysters and blue crabs to striped bass and waterfowl. It's a living example of why #estuaries matter: where environmental, cultural, and economic benefits come together.

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 19d

Today, we're celebrating the iconic estuary in our backyard—the #ChesapeakeBay. The Bay is the largest estuary in the US, spanning six states and Washington, DC. About half its water flows in from the Atlantic Ocean, while the rest drains from its 64,000-square-mile watershed.

An aerial photo of the Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake Bay and the text "The Estuary in Our Backyard"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 20d

Beyond dollars, the Bay provides clean water, healthy #shorelines, storm protection, open spaces, and forests. Protecting #estuaries is essential to sustaining their benefits, economic and otherwise, for future generations.

#NatlEstuariesWeek

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 20d

The #ChesapeakeBay provides over $100 billion in annual economic value, producing about 500 million pounds of seafood each year. It's valued for tourism, recreation, and scenic beauty, too. Recreational angling generates significant economic impact and supports thousands of jobs.

#EstuariesWeek

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 20d

What is the value of an #estuary? Estuaries cover just 4% of the continental US yet generate over half the GDP. ~40% of the US population lives on estuaries, relying on them for jobs, shipping, and fishing. Many of our largest cities are located on estuaries.
#EstuariesWeek

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 21d

History teaches us the importance of such rivers as the Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, and our own mighty Patapsco. And water availability continues to drive many land use decisions today.
#EstuariesWeek

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 21d

What do the Ancient Sumerian city of Ur, Ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, and modern-day Baltimore, Maryland, have in common? They were all built along #estuaries. The combination of fertile soil, abundant wildlife, and freshwater near estuaries has been a bedrock of human civilizations.

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 22d

Estuaries are vital habitat areas for humans. Coastal counties of the US are home to 131 million people—almost 40% of the population! Millions more visit coasts every year, seeking beaches, bays, rivers, and wetlands for recreation. #EstuariesWeek

Two people kayaking on a body of water near a rock sill and tall marsh grasses. Text on the image says "People & Estuaries"

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 23d

Stay tuned this week as we explore why estuaries matter, from their economic impact, to their cultural history, and recreational value— and the Chesapeake Bay's place as one of the most important estuaries in the world.

#Estuaries #ChesapeakeBay #WhatIsAnEstuary

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 23d

Happy #EstuariesWeek! Estuaries are ecosystems where rivers meet the sea and fresh water from land mixes with salty tidal water to create brackish habitats. Think marshes, wetlands, bays, and lagoons. They offer shelter for aquatic animals, filter water, and buffer shorelines.

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Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 26d

Tomorrow is International #CoastalCleanupDay! From rivers and streams to the #ChesapeakeBay and coastal beaches—you can make a difference. Grab a bag, head outside, and help keep #Maryland’s shores clean. Want to join a group effort? Find a cleanup near you on the ICC map: https://loom.ly/OCKCixI

A deflated, torn piece of a balloon and a plastic container in the sand along the water on a beach in the Bay