Latest news with #VirginiaInstituteofMarineScience
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Texas Map Shows Cities Where Sea Level Rise is Accelerating
Several coastal cities in Texas are facing rising sea levels that could impact infrastructure and homes, according to new data. Research from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science has revealed that some of the highest sea level rises in the United States are along the coast of Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S.'s coastline is densely populated and will be vulnerable to more frequent and intense flooding, coastal erosion, and the loss of critical infrastructure as sea levels continue to rise. In particular, Texas has many cities and towns located along the Gulf Coast. These sea level changes will profoundly impact life in some of the country's largest cities and could even lead to the displacement of communities. The 2024 sea level analysis, based on 55 years of data from tide gauges across 36 U.S. coastal communities, uses historical measurements at specific locations, meaning each city has a specific sea level increase. According to the data, mapped by Newsweek, three cities in Texas reported high sea level rises in 2024. Rockport saw the highest recorded rise, at 7.1 millimeters a year, while Galveston saw a rise of 6.8 millimeters. Port Isabel, meanwhile, recorded a sea level rise rate of 5.2 millimeters a year. All three cities are heavily exposed to the Gulf. However, other cities along the Gulf coastline in different states reported significantly lower sea level rises. In Florida, cities like Pensacola and Cedar Key reported increases of less than 4 millimeters per year, and even Key West, which is located on an island separated from the Florida mainland, reported just 3.6 millimeters, roughly half that of Rockport. Piper Wallingford, Climate Resilience Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, told Newsweek: "Rising sea levels that we see today are primarily caused by warmer temperatures associated with climate change. As the planet warms, the oceans are undergoing thermal expansion, where warm water takes up more space than cooler water. "Warmer global temperatures are also causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt, adding additional water to the oceans. Local conditions like topography and erosion can lead to faster or slower rates compared to the global average, but overall sea level rise is expected to accelerate in the next century as further greenhouse gas emissions create feedback loops." If sea levels continue to rise, urban areas may need to consider drastic measures to prevent flooding and other disruptions to city life. Related Articles Elon Musk's Starbase City Warns Residents Over Property RightsCensors Allowed to Remove Books From Libraries, Court Rules'Trump Burger' Gets Scathing Reviews From Food Critics: 'Bland'More Property Tax Relief Coming For Texans 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
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.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay sees concerning drop in blue crab population
Maryland's Chesapeake Bay is seeing a concerning drop in its population of blue crabs, according to the Chesapeake Bay foundation. The survey, conducted jointly by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, estimated total crab abundance at 238 million, the lowest count since surveys began in 1990. According to the report, this year's decline affected all population segments. Adult male crabs dropped to 26 million, adult female crabs to 108 million, and juvenile crabs to 103 million. The numbers are significantly lower than 2024's results, which were just slightly below average. Why are blue crab numbers declining? Blue crab populations can vary dramatically year by year due to weather trends, predator numbers, and habitat availability. The loss of critical crab habitat, such as underwater grasses, threatens the species. Invasive predators like blue catfish also pose a significant threat to blue crabs. Climate change and polluted runoff can be detrimental to young and spawning crabs. Chesapeake Bay area residents believe blue crabs are the Bay animal most in need of protection, according to polling results conducted by Chesapeake Bay Foundation earlier this year. What does the CBF recommend? The CBF recommends that Maryland maintain its existing regulations for male crabs and strengthen protections for female crabs. The foundation also recommends that the state reduce imports of egg-bearing "sponge" crabs from Virginia. Virginia should reduce its blue crab harvest and consider additional protections for males, which have reached a historic low, according to the foundation. The organization also that the federal government should fully fund programs and agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Environmental Protection Agency that support regional clean water initiatives protecting blue crab habitat.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Bad news for the Chesapeake Bay: It's getting hot
Global warming is increasing ocean temperatures at a rate that could have dire consequences for the largest estuary in the United States, according to a new study from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The study estimates the Chesapeake Bay area could have marine heat wave conditions for about a third of the year by the end of the century. That's an increase from the 22 days a year the bay now sees long periods of unusually high water temperatures. Specifically, the study focuses on estuaries — areas where freshwater meets salt water, such as the lower Chesapeake Bay. Researchers looked at estuaries across the U.S. to analyze trends in marine heat waves. These extended heat waves can have negative effects on local wildlife, especially if prolonged. That couild include mass mortality of local species, habitat loss, species migration and increased ocean stressors such as low pH and dissolved oxygen. Heat waves can critically disrupt essential processes in an ecosystem, according to VIMS. Piero Mazzini, a professor at VIMS and coauthor of the study, said the research should 'serve as a warning' for local leaders in charge of taking care of environmental assets. Environment | 'I've got fish on my roof': Fierce weather brings more than rain for Hampton man Environment | First national analysis finds America's butterflies are disappearing at 'catastrophic' rate Environment | Help could be on the way for Chincoteague water wells contaminated by PFAS Environment | Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide Environment | Trump wants to use the 'God Squad' to increase logging, but it must follow strict rules 'The Chesapeake Bay, for example, currently experiences marine heat wave conditions approximately 6% of the year — 22 days per year — and that is already placing stress on the ecosystem,' Mazzini said. 'Our study shows that estuaries across the East Coast could experience these conditions for more than 100 days of the year by 2100.' Estuaries serve as important nursery habitats for nearly 75% of all fish species and support more than 54 million jobs, according to the study. East Coast areas also were found to fare worse than the West Coast, where winds can churn cooler water toward the surface. A previous study from VIMS found the bay has warmed by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit, or about .07 degrees each year, since the mid-1980s. Hot summer days already bring problems with low oxygen, and heat excites oxygen molecules so they leave the liquid more easily. This results in 'dead zones,' areas where oxygen is removed faster than it can be replenished. Animals need healthy levels of oxygen in the water to survive. In 2024, environmental groups reported that the Chesapeake Bay dead zone was at a near-average size, but despite progress, officials still warn that the bay will not meet 2025 goals for restoration. If actions do not change, the study found that warming trends in climate are expected to persist throughout the 21st century, and some projections suggest that much of the open ocean could be in a 'near-permanent' marine heat wave toward the end of the century. The rise of sea-surface temperatures is a main driver of issues for estuaries, and environmental scientists are looking to reducing greenhouse gases and increasing tree canopy as potential solutions. Ricardo Nardi, lead author on the study, said open ocean temperatures have a long history of being studied, but estuaries are often overlooked. Longer heat wave conditions could have 'disastrous ecosystem consequences,' so more research is needed to understand how conditions in the ocean and estuaries affect each other. 'These are critical ecosystems, and future conservation efforts will depend on our understanding of the factors influencing them,' Nardi said. Eliza Noe,
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Budget Amendment to help tiny fish is tossed by Virginia lawmakers
RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) A third effort in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session to provide funding for a study of Atlantic menhaden numbers in Virginia's portion of the Chesapeake Bay has been killed. A measure by Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond) would have created a budget amendment to fund the first year of a three year study. However, it was cut from the budget during negotiations between the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House. Conservation and fishing groups have been pushing for the study because they claim menhaden numbers are down in the bay, and that it is having an adverse effect on fish, aquatic mammals, and bird that depend on the tiny fish for food. 'We needed the science to better manage our menhaden resource in the Chesapeake Bay,' said Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore. 'Unfortunately, we're not going to have it for at least another year.' The research would have been done by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Menhaden are the target of a industrial reduction fishing in the bay. Virginia is the only state on the Atlantic Coast that allows industrial reduction fishing in estuaries like the Chesapeake. It is being done by one company, Omega Protein. Omega employs more than 200 people at its base of operations in Reedville. Omega released the following statement: 'In 2023, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) proposed a three-year, $2.8 million menhaden study using a novel approach: acoustic tagging survey technology to assess menhaden populations. A workshop was held to evaluate the proposal, and the technology was deemed innovative, while acknowledging it was untested for this application. During the recent Virginia legislative session, a House budget amendment to fund the VIMS study was not included in the final bill language. As a way to jumpstart some of the work, industry stakeholders proposed a compromise: rather than fully funding the $2.8 million study, it was suggested allocating state dollars for a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of the acoustic tagging technology. Given its economic significance, concerns arose about relying on an unproven method to make decisions affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of workers. Fishing industry stakeholders do believe that if successful, acoustic technology could enhance fishery assessments. However, no agreement was reached to support a pilot study, leading to the amendment's exclusion from the budget. The available data on the menhaden population suggests that no drastic management actions are necessary at this time. Regulators have set harvest levels in the Chesapeake Bay at one-third of historic levels as a precautionary measure. Juvenile menhaden abundance is increasing, and analyses of scientific studies have concluded that the challenges facing striped bass are not caused by a lack of menhaden. While menhaden are an important food source for striped bass, striped bass decline is driven primarily by overfishing, environmental degradation, and disease. Regardless of the scientific model that regulators ultimately choose, we urge them to commit to a properly-designed, adequately-funded study of sufficient duration. Omega Protein and Ocean Harvesters look forward to working with VIMS and the VMRC in the future to better understand menhaden abundance in the Chesapeake Bay.' The company says menhaden numbers are sustainable. It points to coastwide numbers to back that up. However, critics say 70% of menhaden harvested on the Atlantic Coast are taken in Virginia waters. They say coastwide numbers aren't a good measure of what is happening locally. 'Unfortunately, we still manage menhaden based on the resource that's modeled from Maine to Florida.' said Moore. 'That modeling effort although good and getting better each time we do it, it can't take into account what's happening specifically in Chesapeake Bay. When we have such a large fishery here in Chesapeake Bay, we really need better answers. That's what this study was set up to do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
