Latest news with #Chesapeake Bay
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
USDA announces $8 million initiative to combat invasive blue catfish in Chesapeake Bay
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Aug. 6 announced an $8 million initiative to control the spread of invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay, an effort aimed at supporting seafood processors, rural economies and the bay's struggling ecosystem. The initiative includes $6 million in grant funding through the USDA's Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. The grants are available to seafood processors to modernize facilities, expand operations and support the commercial processing of invasive catfish. An additional $2 million will go toward purchasing Chesapeake Bay blue catfish through a one-year pilot program. Grant awards will range from $250,000 to $1 million. Applicants must contribute at least 50 percent of their project's total cost. Applications are due via by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 6. "The project here in Maryland I visited today with Representative Harris is a win for our rural communities who now have a new processing facility that will support good-paying jobs, a win for our fishermen who are ridding the Chesapeake of a destructive invasive species, and a win for our local communities who have another source of protein for the charitable feeding network," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement. Blue catfish, an invasive species, has become a challenge to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem since being introduced to Maryland waters in the 1990s and 2000s, according to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR says blue catfish primarily feed on fish species native to the bay, including blue crabs, clams, and mussels. This in turn can have both a negative ecological and economic impact, especially with the blue crab population in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay being the lowest its been in 35 years. Blue crab population numbers are used as an overall indicator of the bay's health. And Maryland's crab industry adds $600 million to the state's economy annually. The MAWS Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), proposes a three-year, $6 million federal pilot program that would incentivize the commercial purchase of invasive blue catfish. Congress would provide $2 million per year to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) between 2027 and 2029 under the bill. Then, those funds would be given to pet food manufacturers, animal feed producers, and aquaculture feed companies to purchase blue catfish from fishermen and seafood processors.
CBS News
7 days ago
- Science
- CBS News
Underwater grasses in Maryland's part of the Chesapeake Bay dropped slightly in 2024
Underwater grasses in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay declined slightly in 2024, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Underwater grass abundance is a key indicator of water quality, the DNR said. The total area covered by submerged aquatic vegetation fell from 38,188 acres in 2023 to 36,794 acres in 2024. Maryland's 2025 restoration goal is 79,800 acres. An annual survey of submerged aquatic vegetation, (SAV), was conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science between May and October 2024. Despite the overall loss, freshwater SAV populations in Maryland performed well. All or part of five rivers surpassed their restoration goals, the DNR said. "The resilience we're seeing in freshwater SAV beds this year is encouraging and reflects years of targeted restoration, outreach, and monitoring," said Brooke Landry, the DNR's SAV program chief. "But sharp declines in widgeon grass across the mid-Bay are concerning, especially given how quickly this species can respond to changes in water quality." Also known as bay grasses, underwater grasses help create critical habitat for fish, blue crabs, and other aquatic life in the Chesapeake Bay. They absorb excess nutrients, stabilize sediments, and slow shoreline erosion. The DNR noted that bay grasses also help buffer the effects of climate change by removing carbon and reducing acidity in the water. Several Chesapeake Bay tributaries—including the Back River and Upper Chester River—saw strong growth in underwater grasses, according to the report. However, in the saltier mid-Bay region, significant declines were reported, especially in widgeon grass, a key species in that area. The latest SAV survey results come as Maryland continues efforts to improve the bay's health. In December 2024, nearly $400,000 in federal grant funding was awarded to five Maryland-based projects focused on environmental, cultural, and historical conservation within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
