Maryland Sea Grant

A Legacy of Captains Headboats helped Black watermen on Kent Island earn a living on their own terms

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

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

An aerial view of an onsite wastewater treatment demonstration facility

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

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"

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

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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"

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/

Large tanks on a pier at an oyster hatchery filled with oyster shells and spat. Text on the image says "Celebrating Seafood Month" and has the Maryland Sea Grant logo

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.

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

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

Begin Birding in the Chesapeake The Chesapeake Bay watershed has countless places to go birding

🍂 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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

A shoreline with marsh grasses and the text "Celebrating Estuaries Week" and the Maryland Sea Grant logo

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.

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

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 graphic with a photo of a marsh and text that says "Free webinar! Relational Stewardship Speaker Series, Rights of Nature: Land and Waters as Kin, October 1, 4-5:30 p.m."

A graphic with a photo of a heron in a marsh, and a photo of Chief Anne Richardson, Chief of the Rappahannock Tribe since 1998, alongside a short bio about her

A graphic with a photo of a heron in flight over a marsh, and a photo of Juliette A. Jackson, JD, LLM, alongside a short bio about her

What are the Rights of Nature, where do they come from, and why are they important? Join the first session of the Relational Stewardship speaker series, a conversation on the movement's roots and its intersections with environmental law and community-based advocacy: https://loom.ly/FAEYa8Q

A floating oyster cage with biofouling (organisms glomming onto the gear)

A page from a handbook on oyster aquaculture biofouling with photos and information on barnacles

One oyster farming challenge in the #ChesapeakeBay is biofouling, when plants and animals glom onto gear & #oysters. It can affect shellfish growth, water flow in cages, and add weight to heavy gear. Farmers: check out our free Biofouling Control Strategies handbook for help: https://loom.ly/7K8LnYY

University of Maryland Sea Grant Extension specialist Amanda Rockler led field exercises at a wet pond, rain garden, and local wetlands to show stormwater management benefits. The group explored Leopold’s Preserve, a 380-acre park with diverse habitats and scenic views. More: https://loom.ly/_IUTHwk

A group of people pose for a photo on a wooden platform in a park near wetlands and trees

It was a great day for a field day! Landscape professionals from as far as WV, MA, and NC took a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) training in Prince William County, VA, last week.
CBLP delivers sustainable landscape training across the Bay watershed and beyond.

This #HispanicHeritageMonth, we’re celebrating how language accessibility can open doors. On our blog, intern Julissa Murrieta shares how her bilingual upbringing inspired her to break down language barriers in the environmental field. 📖 Read more: https://loom.ly/QdrDCHU

A microplastic seen under a microscope

Curious about #microplastics? Join Extension specialist Andy Lazur for a #webinar Sept. 17 at noon! He'll share how plastics break down and make their way into the environment, and how you can reduce your exposure to microplastics. Register here: https://loom.ly/bDsMbyc

A compilation of photos of Maryland Sea Grant's five 2025 Knauss Fellows

Sea Grant Knauss #fellows work with the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, bringing expertise in marine and coastal #science to shape #policy and programs that affect our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Meet our 2025 fellows: https://loom.ly/HAGaLlY