Welcome to the Weekly Creel, a compilation of regional news and announcements for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts of the Chesapeake Bay region. Please email us directly at editor@reelchesapeake.com to have your organization’s news item or event listing considered for next week’s column. Per usual, here are direct links to the lastest, local fishing reports from Reel Chesapeake, On The Water, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Anglers Sports Center, and FishTalk Magazine. The leading photograph (above): A Severn River sunrise on November 5th, photographed by yours truly.
Chesapeake Watershed Projects to Benefit From Major Fed Grants
Earlier this week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced 25 grants totaling $7.4 million for projects that support wildlife habitat, climate resilience, community conservation partnerships, and equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
This year’s grants will advance the goals of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program and leverage more than $12 million in grantee matching funds, for a total conservation impact of $19.4 million. The awards will ultimately improve recreational access along more than 31 miles of river and trails, restore more than 32 riparian miles of forest habitat, improve passage along nearly 120 river miles for migratory fish species, and protect more than 4,700 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, including 2,000 acres of key wildlife corridors in high-elevation areas that will allow species to shift habitats in response to climate change . Many of these projects address conservation needs in vulnerable communities.
“This partner-driven program prioritizes projects that are led by communities and that respond to climate change,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “The work done through these funded projects helps ensure we achieve meaningful and lasting outcomes for all watershed residents now and in the future.”
“The Chesapeake WILD program adds critical new resources, agency support and technical assistance investments for habitat restoration and protection, public access and community engagement activities across the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and chief executive officer of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “We look forward to working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our many partners in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to continue building on the foundation’s long legacy of conservation and restoration efforts in the region.”
The full list of Chesapeake WILD grants can be read here.
Beverly Triton to Open as County Regional Park
A longtime locals’ favorite of the Mayo pennisula in Anne Arundel County, Beverly Triton Nature Nature Park will officially become a Department of Recreation & Parks regional park on November 27th. The park will join the likes of Quiet Waters, Kinder Farm, Downs, and Fort Smallwood as a fee-based park for the public to enjoy. Entry will be $6 per vehicle and annual passes will be available for purchase (good for entry into all county regional parks).
Situated on the Chesapeake Bay between the South and Rhode rivers, Beverly Triton Nature Park offers five miles of trails that weave between salt ponds and shoreline with scenic views of the Bay looking eastward. There is a soft launch for car-top vessels (canoes, kayaks, SUP) and a first-come/first-serve pavilion. Also, there are five designated fishing ponds/spots within the park and a pass is needed to do so. All information and pass details can be found at aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks/beverly-triton-nature-park.
Bird Stamp Contest Winner Announced
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that Jim Taylor of Towson won the 50th Annual Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest. Taylor is now one of two six-time winners.
“Congratulations to Mr. Taylor and all participants who took part in this years contest,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “Artists from all over the country entered our final contest and we want to express our great appreciation and gratitude to all of the artists through the 50 years of this contest for their participation and support.”
Taylor won the 2024-2025 contest with his beautiful rendition of a pair of American black ducks flying over the marsh, titled “May They Always Fly.”
This contest was the final Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design contest, as the physical stamp is no longer required or produced. The Department of Natural Resources will produce a limited run of 50th Anniversary commemorative decals in 2024 depicting this artwork.
UMCES Project Aims to Curb Global Warming of Oceans
This week, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science announced that a nearly $2 million award from NOAA will support a three-year project led by UMCES to explore how existing infrastructure like wastewater treatment plants could be used to help mitigate global warming. Oceans absorb about a third of carbon dioxide generated by human activities on our planet, helping to slow climate change, but the oceans are also becoming more acidic as a result, with impacts ranging from dying corals to struggling fisheries. This project will investigate how changing the chemistry of the wastewater, using a technique called ocean alkalinity enhancement, could help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and counteract deleterious impacts of ocean acidification on the marine ecosystem. Learn more at the UMCES website.
And that’s a wrap for this week’s Creel. If you have news to share, please send an email to editor@reelchesapeake.com.
