Latest news with #AllisonColden
E&E News
5 days ago
- Business
- E&E News
Chesapeake Bay blue crab populations nosedive
The Chesapeake Bay blue crab could be experiencing a population crash on par with the early 2000s, when experts feared the prized mid-Atlantic species was at risk of hitting unrecoverable levels. New data from winter crab surveys completed by the states of Maryland and Virginia showed drops in both adult male and female crabs between 2024 and 2025, as well as a worrisome decline in juvenile crabs that are vulnerable to predators and other environmental stressors. 'The red flags are flying for blue crabs,' said Allison Colden, Maryland executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, in a statement. 'With more than five years of below average crab numbers, it is clear that changing conditions in the Bay are undermining the current management of this important species.' Advertisement But Chesapeake Bay crab harvesters, called 'watermen,' say they are not seeing evidence of a dangerously depleted blue crab stock and will lobby Maryland and Virginia to maintain current catch limits.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Biologists discover stunning turnaround in one of US' most critical oyster populations: 'We've seen a rebound'
After decades of population decline, Chesapeake Bay oysters are thriving again, the Washington Post reported. A vibrant oyster population is essential to water cleanliness and aquatic biodiversity. As one of nature's best natural filtration systems that remove sediments and pollutants, they filter as much as two gallons of water hourly. Their healthy reefs are also habitats for other species like striped blennies, American eels, skilletfish, and blue crabs, per Ocean Find Your Blue. However, overharvesting, disease, and environmental factors like drought and habitat decline have affected these aquatic species for decades. The rebound is a result of better ecological conditions and conservation work from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Based on their research, conditions have allowed for more successful reproduction or "epic, generational spat sets," as Lynn Waller Fegley, Maryland Department of Natural Resources' director of fishing and boating services, told the Washington Post. Those spats, which refer to larvae that attach to hard surfaces as they develop into mature oysters, have not only increased in number but also in distribution through the bay. Maryland isn't the only DMV state to see thriving oysters again since Virginia's conservation effort allowed it to harvest one of the highest bushel amounts since the late 1980s — 700,000 of them. Reliable oyster harvesting affects local livelihoods, which is why the past unstable population caused some to leave the business due to fluctuations that made profits impossible. A 2020 report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation stated that Maryland received about $9 million annually from oyster operations. In Virginia, one of the nation's top oyster producers, the state's economy gets $1.1 billion from seafood, and oysters are a major part of that, according to Virginia Tech. "In the last five years, we've seen a rebound," Allison Colden, executive director of Maryland for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, told the Washington Post. Other areas are also thriving with aquatic conservation — Cabo Pulmo in Mexico is seeing rebounding coral reefs, and an emergency hand-feeding program to help Florida manatees has been suspended as their food source, seagrass, has revived. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Clean water that supports aquatic life and industry isn't something to take for granted. If these revivals remain steady, it marks progress toward a cleaner and safer planet for all. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Axios
23-05-2025
- General
- Axios
Chesapeake Bay blue crab population plunges near record low
The Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population has dropped to record, "distressing" lows, according to the annual Winter Dredge Survey. Why it matters: The yearly "crab count" measures the abundance and health of the population — and by virtue, the Bay — and this year's report is among the most dire in decades. The results can inform fishing regulations, such as catch limitations and shortened harvesting seasons, which can also impact market price and availability. State of play: After years of decline, the 2025 crab population hit an estimated 238 million — the second lowest count since the surveys began in 1990, according to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which jointly conduct the survey. The crab population hit an estimated all-time low in 2022, with 226 million crabs. That year, Maryland limited its commercial catch for the first time ever to address the decline, while harvests were also restricted in Virginia. Threat level: The survey shows declines in all segments of the crab population, from adult males (about 26 million) to females (108 million) and juveniles (103 million). The numbers in all groups are significantly lower than last year, when officials told Axios, "we have little reason for any type of alarm." A plethora of causes can contribute to decline, from overfishing to habitat loss (e.g. underwater grasses), predation — especially by invasive species like blue catfish — and run-off pollution. The big picture: The dire crab-cast comes at a critical time for the Chesapeake. Decades of cleanup efforts have brought the nation's largest estuary back from the brink in the '70s, when dead zones were rampant, species threatened, and "Save the Bay" became a regional mantra. Environmental groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) have been warning of the potentially disastrous impact of the Trump administration's cuts on the EPA and NOAA, and funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program, which Trump repeatedly threatened to slash in his first administration. Protection efforts are particularly tricky given the Bay's massive watershed, which spans six states and the District, and the tangle of local and federal regulatory bodies that can contradict. Just last year, Virginia officials voted to lift a prohibition on winter crab harvesting for the first time in nearly 15 years — which Maryland opposed. The decision was ultimately reversed. Zoom in: After years of negative dredge survey results, the CBF is urging Virginia and Maryland fisheries and state regulators to reduce crab harvests and strengthen protections for female crabs. They're also calling on the federal government to keep funding organizations that support Bay health and protections. "The red flags are flying for blue crabs," Allison Colden, CBF's Maryland director, says in a statement. "It is clear that changing conditions in the Bay are undermining the current management of this important species." Between the lines: The dredge survey is a "snapshot" taken annually, where scientists and commercial watermen dredge up crabs "hibernating" on the Bay's bottom in cold winter months, assess them, and return them safely.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chesapeake Bay oyster population stays strong, but budget cuts sow concern
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Chesapeake Oyster Alliance served oysters grown by Maryland aquaculture businesses at their lobbying day outside the State House on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy the Chesapeake Bay Foundation) Chesapeake Bay oysters had another good year in 2024, new Maryland data shows. Oyster reproduction levels were above the median for the fifth straight year, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which surveys for the bivalves each year in the bay and its tributaries. The overall population was also strong, with the third-highest level over the past 32 years. In addition, the data showed a decline in the prevalence of oyster diseases, which proliferated in 2023 amid high salinity conditions. 'The 2024 Fall Survey confirms Maryland's oyster population is doing well, with the key indicators showing encouraging results,' said Christopher Judy, director of DNR's Shellfish Division. 'Certain low-salinity regions still need to improve, but overall the findings are promising for the near-term future of this vital species.' But even with the promising data, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other advocates are concerned for the future of oyster programs, given the uncertainty of state and federal budgets. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'We are concerned that there would be an opportunity to disinvest in oyster restoration moving forward, which has resulted in some of the important gains we have seen over the past few years,' said Allison Colden, Maryland executive director of the Bay Foundation. In particular, CBF cited potential cuts to the state's Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund and the Clean Water Commerce Program, which contribute funding to oyster plantings as well as aquaculture operations. Legislative analysts had included those programs among a list of potential cuts as the state struggles to close a projected $3 billion deficit for fiscal 2026. The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday rejected cuts to the Clean Water Commerce Program, but approved the transfer of $10.5 million out of the bays trust fund. It could have been worse: Analysts had recommended cutting the trust fund without limitation through fiscal 2029. The money transfered out this year would be moved to general DNR operating expenses. 'The transfer will enable DNR to continue to fully fund and staff all programs, grants, interagency transfers, and planned projects,' read a statement from department spokesman A.J. Metcalf. Oysters are filter feeders, meaning that they can purify the bay's waters, removing harmful nutrients and sediment. As a result, the success of their population is seen as critical to the bay's overall health. 2023 was a banner year, particularly for baby oysters, known as 'spat.' High salinity in the bay, spurred by drought conditions, contributed to strong spat numbers, including 'once-in-a-generation' results in the Potomac River. But the 2023 conditions were also favorable for the spread of diseases MSX and Dermo, which can cause die-offs in oyster reefs. Luckily, the disease numbers declined in 2024, as a rainy start to the year inundated the watershed with fresh water and drove salinity downward. The 'spatset' in the Potomac River returned to a 'modest' level in 2024, according to DNR. But gains were observed elsewhere, including in the 'rare' observation of spat north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. To Capt. Robert Newberry, chairman of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, which represents watermen, the new data is evidence that a healthy oyster population can coexist with a strong oyster harvest. He decried oyster sanctuaries, where harvesting is prohibited. 'You got problems with oysters? You call an oysterman,' he said. Colden said the successes with oysters show the value of a multipronged restoration effort, including oyster plantings at sanctuaries and elsewhere in the bay, and plantings on oyster farms, which yielded $13.3 million in economic output in 2023, with more than 94,000 bushels harvested, compared to about 430,000 bushels in the wild fishery during the 2023-2024 season. But she fears that cuts not just at the state level, but at the federal level, could call into question future efforts. Colden said she wonders about state government employees focusing on oyster restoration, whose positions are funded by federal money, and about the fate of federal grant programs that sponsor new oyster reefs, and monitor current reefs. 'We're in a really good place with the areas that have been restored, but if we just walk away forever? … We won't know how those reefs are doing,' she said.
