R e s e a rch, Education, Outre a c h Volume 19, Number 2

or three days the metal jaws of a grab sampler took discrete bites F out of the bottom of the Patap- sco River where it forms Baltimore Ha r b o r . Day after day, as if working a huge oyster bar, the crew on deck pulled the sampler aboard, taking on their harvest of mud. By the time they finished, they had taken more than 160 samples at 81 locations, 160 snap- shots of sediments in Baltimore Har- bor and the nearby waters. The pur- pose — to help the Maryland Depart- ment of Environment determine the extent of contaminants in harbor sedi- me n t s Those three days, five years ago now, were part of a long and compli- cated detective story. The story is not only about what has been rel e a s e d into these waters for many decades, but also about chemical compounds that are still coming into the Patapsco River and nearby tributaries from countless diffuse sources, such as ru n o f f from urban and industrial sites. And more — by studying the behavior of sediments, res e a rc h e r s have begun to piece together a de- SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH tailed chronicle of how contaminants move, a story where the major actors include not only Baltimore Harbor and the Patapsco River, but also the Taking on Toxics Susquehanna River, an immense fres h water source that dominates curren t s th r oughout the upper Bay. Helping to unravel this tale of in Baltimore Harbor contaminants is a team of res e a rc h - ers, including Joel Baker and Larry BY MERRILL LEFFLER AND JACK GREER Sanford, of the University of Mary- land Center for Environmental Sci- ence. Their work has been funded by Researchers are working together on a long-term the Maryland Department of the En- vi r onment for the last several years study of the harbor that is assembling data and and is continuing. Baker is an expert developing predictive models to help show where in chemical contaminants. Sanford’s expertise is in the area of physical contaminants come from, where they go and how oceanography — tracking waves and cu r r ents that move sediments throu g h they interact with living organisms. the water. With funding from the

A Maryland Sea Grant Publication Contaminants include not only heavy metals, PCBs and PAHs, but also substances not usually considered pollutants such as nutrients and sediments

Maryland Department of the Environ - ment (MDE), the scientists are work- ing together, and in collaboration with others, on a long-term project. Called the Comprehensive Harbor Assess- ment and Regional Modeling While Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has become an economic engine for the region, the sedi - (CHARM) Study, it is assembling data ments beneath its waters remain toxic — not only with the residue of past industrial ac - and developing predictive models to tivities, but also nutrient and sediment runoff from city streets and parks. help show where contaminants come fr om, where they go, and how they PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and ronment (MDE) must understand the interact with the Bay’s living orga n - PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydroc a r - whole mix of contaminants and sedi- is m s . bons). They also include substances ments and nutrients in a given tribu- not necessarily considered pollutants, tary to determine what sources are A Sense of Urgency such as nutrients and sediments, causing damaging effects. MDE — and the res e a r chers who which can impair the health of “W e have to start out trying to un- ar e helping the state’s res o u r ce agen- st r eams, rivers and estuaries. derstand the process,” says Sanford, cies — find themselves facing a diffi - Maryland has listed Baltimore Har- “and predictive models help you to cult deadline. If the state cannot bor and the Patapsco River as “im- do that.” What Baker, Sanford and show that the Bay and its tributaries pa i r ed,” because of excess contami- their colleagues are after in Baltimore have met strict federal standards by nants, sediments or nutrients, or a Harbor is a view of the whole. “If the the year 2011, not only are federal concoction of all three . model works right, it can help a man- funds from the U.S. Environ m e n t a l The question MDE must answer ager allocate diffe r ent sources to Pr otection Agency (EPA) in jeopardy, for each body of water is how much achieve an acceptable measure of wa- but the EPA can actually step in and of each contaminant can be rel e a s e d ter quality,” says Sanford. take over management of these wa- in a day without detrimental impacts ters. Improvements in tributaries such — this number is the TMDL for that Understanding River Flow as the harbor could help in meeting chemical for that system. Next, MDE Years ago, it was assumed that the 2011 goals. must identify sources of the contami- contaminants discharged into Balti- Driving this deadline is the Clean nant, then allocate percentages of that mo r e Harbor and the Patapsco River Water Act, a law that has been instru- specified limit among the diffe re n t we r e largely diluted, first in the river mental in helping reduce pollution so u r ces. This includes not only indus- and then in the Bay, as currents car- fr om a number of sources, most no- tries and waste treatment plants but ried contaminants down toward the tably so-called point sources, such as di f fuse sources of runoff including Vir ginia capes and finally out into the la r ge industries. Also in the Clean Wa- fa r ms, suburban and urban areas and Atlantic ocean. By the time those ter Act, but not focused on until rel a - atmospheric deposition. contaminants flowed that far, the rea - tively recently, is a req u i r ement to Larry Sanford notes that the limits soning went, they were presumed to monitor Total Maximum Daily Loads set by TMDLs don’t really focus on be of little harm, either to fish or to (TMDLs), the maximum amount of who’s responsible for local contami- human health. various pollutants that can enter a nation — that’s the state’s job — but In the early 1980s, however, it be- st r eam, creek or river per day before rather on the sum of all pollutants en- came clear that the Patapsco was dif- causing environmental harm. tering a water body. And that sum fe r ent. Physical oceanographers Bill Those pollutants include heavy should not cause impairment. This Boicourt of UMCES and Peter Olson metals like mercury, lead and cadmi- means that regulatory agencies like of Johns Hopkins University — both um; organic compounds classed as the Maryland Department of the Envi- we r e then at the Chesapeake Bay In-

2 • MARYLAND MARINE NOTES stitute — confirmed the earlier hy- Unlike the nutrients nitrogen and pothesis of pioneering oceanographer Understanding the phosphorus, which include only a Don Pritchard that water flow in the handful of chemical forms, “contami- Patapsco River differs significantly dynamics of nants” is a general term covering a fr om most other rivers in the Chesa- complex of many compounds, peake. Most rivers in the Chesapeake contaminants is the among them the various forms of can be characterized as having a two- first step in trying to heavy metals, as well as PCBs and la y e r ed circulation pattern, where PAHs — generic names for scores of buoyant freshwater from the river control their related compounds. The costs for runs on the surface down river to the ecological impact. measuring a suite of contaminants Bay, while dense saline water below can run between $1,500-2,000 per pushes upriver. The Patapsco, howev- sample, compared with $20-30 for er , more often demonstrates a three - nutrients. Analyzing the large num- la y e r ed circulation pattern, where Ha r b o r ,” says Baker. There is more bers of discrete samples, necessary to fr esh surface water flowing from the sediment coming into the Patapsco construct an image of contaminant po w e r ful Susquehanna River — as fr om this source than from the sur- distribution, can add up to a hefty well as the saline water below com- rounding landscape. “The work sum. In fact, the Chesapeake Bay ing up from the Bay — push up the we’ve done supports that,” says Bak- Pr ogram’s monitoring effort does not Patapsco. The relatively weak outflow er , who adds, “the magnitude of the include regular measurements of met- of the Patapsco is mixed into these Susquehanna’s contribution of sedi- als or organic contaminants. st r ong inflows and emerges as a layer ment just hasn’t been appreciated.” In supporting the work of Baker, of intermediate salinity at mid-depth. These physical patterns help to Sanford and others on the UMCES re- In other words, the flow of the Patap- explain why Baltimore Harbor ret a i n s se a r ch team, MDE made a commit- sco River itself exerts little influence contaminants in its waters. “Though ment to understanding the dynamics on the circulation of its estuary. th e r e is some leakage of contami- of contaminants as the first step in Sediment particles suspended in nants out of the harbor into the Bay,” trying to control their ecological im- the Patapsco River waters (and other says Baker, “much of the material pact. The scientists have taken their in t e r nal fresh water sources such as that is released there just doesn’t samples throughout the harbor and st o r m sewer outfalls) are similarly move.” Even clean sediment particles Patapsco River: in the Northwest mixed with sediment particles that coming into the Patapsco mix with Branch, which includes Baltimore’ s come in with fresh water from the waste discharges and absorb chemi- Inner Harbor; in highly urbanized ar- Susquehanna and sediments that cal contaminants. Little of what is eas along Curtis Bay, Curtis Cree k have been resuspended from the bot- loaded into northern Chesapeake Bay and Middle Branch; along heavily in- tom. Riding on this whirl of suspend- makes it south. If it did, Baker says, dustrialized Sparrow’s Point; and on ed sediments are potentially toxic we would see contaminants south of Bear Creek, which is largely res i d e n - compounds, many of which have Kent Island. He points to PCBs as an tial upstream. st r ong chemical affinities for particles. illustration. Samples taken from sedi- Over the following months, sam- These sediment-bound contami- ments in the Baltimore Harbor area ples were subjected to a battery of nants settle to the bottom, but are showed concentrations ranging from tests in order to determine composi- periodically lifted back up by cur- 10 to 20 nanograms per liter of PCBs, tion and concentrations. Using these rents, storms, dredging or passing while sediment samples taken near data, scientists were able to create a ships. This up-and-down recycling fi- Kent Island showed levels at only 1 map of the locations and concentra- nally ends when the old sediment to 2 nanograms per liter. Not many tions of each contaminant they particles are buried by newer sedi- PCBs made it out of Baltimore Har- found. “The spatial variability is enor- ment particles, many of them sup- bo r . mous,” says Baker, meaning that val- plied by the inflow from the Bay. ues of any one contaminant range Burial happens sooner in the rel a t i v e - Measuring Contaminants widely, even when sites are near ly calm recesses of the Inner Harbor, Though MDE had been sampling each other. Still, he adds, the data re- at Bear Creek, for example, but sedi- sediments for contaminants for some veal striking insights into the condi- mentation rates in the Patapsco estu- years in Baltimore Harbor, until the tion of sediments, as well as general ary are rapid in general. Rather than CHARM Study that Baker and Sanford water quality in the region. A sub- helping to carry contaminated sedi- di r ected, there was no compreh e n s i v e stantial number of sites, for example, ments down the Bay, the force of the map of the distribution and concen- contained concentrations of metals Susquehanna River actually causes trations of toxic compounds. In part, and organic contaminants that were mo r e rapid burial and greater ret e n - the reason was cost, which accounts well above the “no effects” level. tion of contaminated sediments origi- for the paucity of contaminant data Though not a direct measure of bio- nating within the harbor. th r oughout the Bay system, especially logical impact, this observation sug- “The Susquehanna River flow is a when compared with data on nutri- gests a strong likelihood of impaired net source of sediment to Baltimore ents. habitat.

VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 • 3 Mapping Contaminants Until this study, there was no comprehensive es e a r chers from UMCES analyzed sediment samples from locations Rth r oughout Baltimore Harbor and used the data to create a map of map of the distribution contaminant locations and concentrations. These data are serving as a and concentrations of baseline for the development of models that aim at predicting the move- ment of toxic compounds in harbor waters. If successful, the models will toxic compounds. help the Maryland Department of Environment better allocate a total maxi- mum daily load (TMDL) of a given pollutant for each potential source , whether direct or diffuse. Below is a summary of major chemical hotspots. The mapping provides a baseline The study also found all over the harbor low levels of Chlordane, a pow- of data — it doesn’t reflect how long er ful biocide once used to control termites and other pests. Though no contaminants have been in these sed- longer manufactured, it is so opersistent in soils that it continues to enter iments or how they move arou n d . the system in runoff and is the cause of a fish advisory rec o m m e n d i n g This is the role of predictive models. against consumption of catifsh and eels caught in the harbor. “Many people have the misconcep- tion that all toxic problems are from • PCBs and PAHs appeared in extremely high concentrations in the Inner activities that occurred 40 to 60 years Ha r b o r , which may reflect the influence of stormwater runoff carried to ago,” Baker says. “We have been the harbor from Jones Falls. PAHs were high on the southern shore of measuring concentrations of the same Sp a r r ows Point, on Bear Creek, probably due to heavy industry located suite of chemicals at Gwynns Falls th e r e. PCB concentrations were high in Bear Creek and Curtis Cree k , and Jones Falls to get an estimate of co m p a r ed with most sites along the Patapsco River. [c u r r ent] loading to the Inner Harbor.” • Zinc and chromium were high in Bear Creek, potentially related to the While there is not enough data yet to Sp a r r ows Point industrial complex, while concentrations were high at draw conclusions, Baker believes that several sites in Northwest Branch, which may be due to stormw a t e r contaminants in such stormw a t e r ru n o ff . flow will emerge as a large part of • Nickel exhibited high values at 70 percent of the sites sampled. the problem. Computer modeling that relates these loadings to their spatial • Mercury was highest at the entrance to the Inner Harbor, likely due to distribution in the sediments will al- st o r mwater runoff; high concentrations also occurred in Curtis Cree k , low scientists to make pred i c t i o n s Bear Creek and Back River. about how far a given contaminant • Copper was highest in Northwest Branch and Curtis Cree k . will travel. Inching Towards Prediction Modeling contaminant movement depends on understanding the dy- namics of suspended sediments as well as the behavior of diffe re n t chemical contaminants. Organic com- pounds and metals have diffe re n t af finities for binding to particles. “[Contaminants] with low affi n i t i e s may travel around, but there is a widely varying behavior,” says San- ford. The model must take into ac- count these diffe r ent binding affinities. “The typical sediment particle that enters the harbor,” says Sanford, “ex- periences multiple cycles of res u s - pension and deposition, before it’s pe r manently removed from circu l a - tion by sedimentation.” As with the sediment particles, so too with the sediment-bound chemicals. “There is, as we’ve seen, a huge pool of conta- minants in the sediments alrea d y , ” says Sanford. “These are the legacy

4 • MARYLAND MARINE NOTES di ff e r ent TMDL lower levels elsewhere in the harbor allocation scenar- sy s t e m . ios. The model Ir onically, the biological impact has req u i r ed sim- could be greater if nutrient red u c t i o n plifying general- ef forts in the harbor lead to improv e d izations that sacri- oxygen levels. Some benthic habitats fice some accura- and organisms such as Le p t o c h e i r u s cy for speed, San- could flourish; feeding in these sedi- ford says; howev- ments, they would pass contaminants er , it affords man- up the food chain to invertebrate and agers flexibility fish populations that prey on them. In they would not other words, says Baker, improv i n g have with a fine- habitat conditions could make things scale model. worse for the health of fish that feed in harbor waters — at least for a Looking Ahead wh i l e . In its 1996 list- Because of such scenarios, it is ing of impaired critical to distinguish contaminated waters to EPA, sediments that are the result of past the Maryland De- di s c h a r ges from those that are on the receiving end of new contaminants. These samples of mud from Baltimore Harbor will be brought partment of Envi- back to the laboratory for slow and painstaking analysis. The ronment listed “W e need to get a handle on load- hope is that ongoing studies will one day provide the means by Ba l t i m o r e Harbor ings,” says McGee, “and do some in- which managers can clean up some of the Bay’s most polluted as impaired for vestigating on whether sediment re- waters. toxics — at that mediation is appropriate.” time, the agency For nearly two decades, curtailing of the past — we need to know how could not be more specific. Based on nutrient flow to the Chesapeake Bay much they impact Baltimore Harbor the study by Baker and Sanford, has understandably held center stage without any new input.” MDE’s 1998 revision listed ten chemi- of restoration efforts. Overen r i c h m e n t Ad d r essing such issues are impor- cal contaminants that would req u i r e of nitrogen and phosphorus has set tant for evaluating realistic manage- the setting of specific TMDLs, among into play a network of processes that ment options. For example, if sedi- them, PCBs, chromium, zinc and has degraded Bay waters significantly. ments in a creek feeding the Patapsco lead. In contrast to nutrient overen r i c h - River are high in PCBs but indicate Just what are the biological im- ment, which is a problem Baywide, little evidence of new inputs, there pacts of these contaminated sedi- chemical contamination of sediments may be value in considering such re- ments? The answers are complex — is largely limited to Baltimore Harbor, mediation options as removing the to begin with, res e a r chers can only the Anacostia River and the Elizabeth im p a i r ed sediments by dredging or de t e r mine acute or lethal effects, not Ri v e r , though there is evidence of lo- capping them with clean sediments. lo n g - t e r m sublethal impacts on rep r o- calized problems in other parts of the On the other hand, if the model indi- duction or behavior. Even the acute Bay system. For years, it seemed little cates that the sediment-bound PCBs ef fects are difficult to assess because could be done in these heavily ur- ar e from continuing runoff source s , many of these bottom areas not only banized waters — not only do conta- then land-based management effo r t s have high contaminant loads, they minants come in diffe r ent species and may need to be stepped up. also lack oxygen, a condition brou g h t fo r ms, they behave diffe r ently under In developing a first-order model on by excessive nutrients. varying environmental conditions. to predict sediment transport, Sanford To get a handle on the extent of Fu r t h e rm o r e, pollution seemed a giv- has separated Baltimore Harbor into toxicity in Baltimore Harbor sedi- en in a heavily industrialized urban- 24 large regions or “boxes,” large l y ments, Beth McGee, now of the U.S. ized watershed, the price that had to divided among the diffe r ent feeder Fish and Wildlife Service, collected be paid for commercial activity. That tributaries where contaminants were sediments from 25 of the 81 sites in given no longer holds. Not only does me a s u r ed. This approach differs from the Baker and Sanford study and test- the Clean Water Act req u i r e action to traditional water quality models, ed their effects on Le p t o c h e i r u s res t o r e these waters, but there is which are often divided more finely pl u m u l o s i s , a small amphipod com- clearly strong advocacy to do so. into hundreds of small compartments, mon to these waters. She found that We have come a long way in Bal- each of which is given a set of water a number of sites were clearly toxic ti m o r e Harbor, says Baker. “We start- quality parameters. It can take days to and lethal. While the hottest were ed with knowing little and have some run a particular TMDL scenario in fr om Bear Creek, she says, other ar- significant prog r ess in the last several such a model. Sanford’s box model eas exhibiting toxicity included the years.” “But,” he adds, “we still have can get results quickly by trying out Inner Harbor and Colgate Creek, with a long way to go.”

VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 • 5 MEES Students Receive Knauss Fellowships

hr ee graduate students in the Marine-Estuarine-Envi- ics on coral reefs at the Bermuda Biological Station for Re- ronmental Science (MEES) program at the University se a r ch and was a teaching assistant for a Biological Ocean- T of Maryland are recipients of Knauss Marine Policy ography class and associated lab. In 2000, he was a res e a rc h Fellowships for 2001: John Adornato, Brian Badgley and assistant at Maryland Sea Grant College, where he helped Wendy Morrison, all finishing Masters degrees. The Fellow- pre p a r e for the recent external program assessment and aid- ship program, begun in 1979 and coordinated by the Na- ed with other management and administrative issues. tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Wendy Morrison is spending National Sea Grant Office, provides graduate students her fellowship year with NOAA’s ac r oss the country with an opportunity to spend a year National Ocean Service, Center for working with policy and science experts in Was h i n g t o n , Coastal Monitoring and Assessment DC . Biogeography Program, where she John Adornato, III is spend- will work on projects aimed at pro- ing his fellowship year with Sena- viding ecosystem-level informa t i o n tor Daniel K. Akaka, a Democrat on the distributions and ecology of fr om Hawaii. His work will focus living marine res o u r ces, including on aquaculture, coral reefs, fish- pr ojects in central California, and the U.S. Vir gin Islands. eries and other marine-related is- Wendy received her B.S. degree in marine science and biol- sues. John received a B.S. degree ogy from the University of Miami in 1993, which included in biology with a minor in Russ- one year of study at James Cook University in Australia. Af- ian language from Tufts Universi- ter graduation, she spent two years as a Peace Corps volun- ty in 1996. Following his graduation, he worked in teer working with subsistence fishermen to increase the sus- Phoenix, Arizona for the USDA, Agricultural Research Ser- tainability of their res o u r ces. She spent a year teaching high vices’ New Corp Division and their Global Climate school science in Miami, Florida before enrolling in the Change res e a r ch group using Free-Air Carbon Dioxide En- MEES program in 1998. Her work at Maryland, advised by richment res e a r ch technologies. Since the fall of 1998, he Dr . David Secor, has focused on understanding the biology has been a graduate teaching assistant for genetics and of American eels with an emphasis on an unfished popula- general biology in the College of Life Sciences at UMCP tion in the Hudson River, New York. She plans to graduate and was recently honored with a distinguished teaching this fall. assistant award. John also helped conduct wetland plant Over the years, Knauss Fellows have gained experience res e a r ch in the Chesapeake Bay directed by Dr. Andrew in the legislative and executive branches of the federal gov- Baldwin, a professor in the Biological Resources Engineer- er nment in locations such as the offices of U.S. Senators ing Department. In addition to that work, John designed and Representatives, on Congressional subcommittees and and undertook his master’s res e a r ch investigating the at agencies such as the National Science Foundation and damage from Hurricane Lili and the initial regeneration of NOAA. Fellowships run from February 1 to January 31 and fo r ested wetlands on Hummingbird Cay, Great Exuma, pay a stipend of $32,000. Bahamas. He has successfully defended his Master’s The- Knauss fellowships are awarded with the help of Sea sis and anticipates graduating from the Marine-Estuarine- Grant programs across the nation. The selection process be- En v i r onmental Sciences Program this December. gins with the submission of applications by candidates rec - Brian Badgley is working ommended for their excellence by Sea Grant Directors. The with NOAA’s National Ocean Ser- National Sea Grant office then conducts a rigorous rev i e w vice in the National Estuarine Re- pr ocess and awards fellowships to the top candidates. se a r ch Reserve System. He will be Maryland was one of the few programs to receive three fel- working closely with management lowship awards this year. issues for the reserves in North The application deadline for the Knauss Fellowship Pro- Ca r olina, Vir ginia and Maryland. gram is April 1 of the year preceding the fellowship year. In addition, he will be part of two To qualify for a fellowship, students must be enrolled by gr oups — one examining how to May 1 of the year of application in a graduate or prof e s - ap p r oach expansion of the reserve system and target new sional degree program in a marine-related field at an ac- ar eas for reserves, and one focusing on the implementa- cr edited institution in the United States. Those interested in tion of a system-wide training initiative for coastal res o u rc e applying for 2003 fellowships should check with the Mary- managers. Brian obtained a B.S. in zoology from the Uni- land Sea Grant office for guidance and possible volunteer versity of Georgia, followed by work as a res e a r ch assis- opportunities now. For more information, check the web at tant at the Key Largo Marine Research Lab in Florida and www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO/Knauss.html, or contact Susan as an instructor at the Jekyll Island Environmental Educa- Leet, Maryland Sea Grant College Program, 0112 Skinner tion Center in Georgia. He is currently writing his thesis. Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, During his graduate caree r , he res e a r ched nutrient dynam- phone (301) 405-6375, e-mail [email protected].

6 • MARYLAND MARINE NOTES tal Zone Management at NOAA and Maryland Students Di r ector of the National Ocean Ser- Noteworthy vice, was a marine biologist known Are NMFS Fellows for her science-based conservation of Honors coastal aquatic life. She was also re- Two marine science students from spected throughout her career as a the University of Maryland have been Chesapeake Biological Laboratory personal supporter of mentoring, a awarded fellowships from the Nation- pr ofessor Ed Houde received the Re- champion of diversity and an advo- al Marine Fisheries Service and Sea gents Faculty Award for Excellence in cate of fair and equal treatment of all Grant. Public Service at the Board of Re- people in the workplace. The first fellowship goes to gents meeting in April. He was the Applications are currently being Michael Price, of the University of first UMCES faculty member to re- solicited for the Foster Scholarships Maryland, College Park, in the area ceive one of the prestigious awards. that carry a $16,800 yearly stipend of marine res o u r ce economics. He He was chosen for the award, says and an annual cost-of-education al- will be working with Michael Prager, UMCES President Donald Boesch, lowance of up to $12,000. Masters at the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Sci- “because he has devoted much of his students may be supported for up to ence Center (SEFSC) in Beaufort, ca r eer to advocating for the sound two years and doctoral students for North Carolina and with Harold Pratt management of fishery res o u r ces and up to four years. For fiscal year 2001, at the Northeast Fisheries Science is recognized for his contributions not ap p r oximately five scholarships will Center in Narragansett, Rhode Island. only in Maryland, but throughout the be awarded. The original deadline of Price’s major professor is Kenneth region and the nation.” April 22, 2001 has been extended for McConnell of the Agriculture and Re- “A fellow of the American Associa- at least 30 additional days. For more so u r ce Economics Department at Col- tion for the Advancement of Science, in f o r mation and the exact deadline, lege Park. Houde has played a major role in visit the web at www.fosterscholars. The second fellowship goes to changing the paradigm of fishery no a a . g o v / Michael Frisk of the UMCES Chesa- management from one that maxi- peake Biological Laboratory, in the mizes harvest to the point of species ar ea of population dynamics. He will depletion to one that stresses conser- Bald Eagles Thriving be working with James Waters, at the vation,” adds Boesch. This res e a rc h SEFSC in Beaufort. His major prof e s - led legislators to include a commit- Bald eagle populations have sor is Thomas Miller, of CBL. ment to multi-species management in reached a twenty-three year The NMFS/Sea Grant fellowships their historic Chesapeake 2000 Agree - high in the Chesapeake Bay we r e awarded based on a rigorou s me n t . watershed, according to national competition. data released in March by the Chesapeake Bay Pro- New Scholarship in gram. For the first time since the Play the Bay Game Marine Science 1940s an active nest with a fledgling has been recorded in the District of To help children The National Oceanic and Atmospher- Columbia. Results from the annual pass the time Baywide bald eagle population count while learni n g ic Administration (NOAA) recently an- nounced the Dr. Nancy Foster Schol- show increased numbers residing something on the throughout the Bay watershed, with long car ride to arship Program to recognize outstand- ing scholarship and encourage inde- 533 active nests fledgling 813 eaglets Maryland and — nearly a ten percent increase from De l a w a r e ocean beaches this sum- pendent graduate-level res e a r ch — particularly by female and minority the previous year. me r , ask for a free copy of the “Bay “Improvements in overall water Game” at Chesapeake Bay Bridge toll students — in oceanography, marine biology and maritime arch a e o l o g y . quality and targeted bald eagle booths. This fun and educational ac- restoration efforts undertaken over tivity, created by the Maryland De- Co n g r ess authorized the prog r a m soon after Foster’s death in June 2000 the past two decades have brought partment of Natural Resources, uses a the species from the edge of extinc- map marked with locations along the as a means of honoring her life’s work and contribution to the nation. tion to a viable population within the jo u r ney to teach about Bay ecology Bay watershed,” said Chesapeake and how to protect its res o u r ces. This The program is administered throu g h NOAA’s National Ocean Service and Bay Program Living Resources Sub- ye a r , there is also a new online “Bay committee Chairman Frank Dawson. Game for the Millennium” at funded annually with one percent of the amount appropriated each fiscal For more information about the ww w . d n r .state.md.us/baygame/ to res u r gence of the Chesapeake Bay complement the road game with ad- year to carry out the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. bald eagle, visit the Chesapeake Bay ditional information and interactive Pr ogram online Press Center at activities. Fo s t e r , the former assistant admin- istrator for Ocean Services and Coas- ww w . c h e s a p e a k e b a y . n e t / p r ess.htm.

VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 • 7 End Notes Maryland Marine Notes Volume 19, Number 2 March-April 2001 Oyster Restoration Papers and Posters Invited Maryland Marine Notes is published A technical forum called “Ph r a g m i t e s six times a year by the Maryland Sea au s t r a l i s : A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing” Grant College for and about the marine is scheduled for January 6-9, 2002 at res e a r ch, education and outreach commu- Cumberland College, Vineland, New nity around the state. Jersey. Posters and papers are cur- This newsletter is produced and fund- rently sought that address the themes ed by the Maryland Sea Grant College Pr ogram, which receives support from the of the forum, which will focus on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- new res e a r ch and critical reviews ad- ministration. Managing Editor, Sandy dr essing Ph r a g m i t e s ’ role as a “nox- Rodgers; Contributing Editors, Jack Gree r ious weed.” The forum will allow and Merrill Leffl e r . Send items for the Volunteers are needed on Saturdays managers and leading experts on newsletter to: now through October to make shell ecology to exchange information. In Maryland Marine Notes bags at the University of Maryland’s addition to the forum, a facilitated Maryland Sea Grant College 0112 Skinner Hall Ho r n Point oyster hatchery in Cam- workshop will allow managers and University of Maryland bridge, Maryland. Thousands of shell experts to exchange information that College Park, Maryland 20742 bags will be needed to produce “spat- will help focus the national effort in (301) 405-6376, fax (301) 314-9581 on-shell” to be used in oyster res t o r a - multidisciplinary res e a r ch to better e-mail: [email protected] tion projects throughout Maryland. understand the ecology of Ph r a g - For more information about Maryland Sea The making of shell bags is essential mi t e s and its ecosystem level effe c t s . Grant, visit our web site: to production of oysters by the hatch- For more information, visit the web www.mdsg.umd.edu/MDSG ery. For more information on volun- at www.njmsc.org/ P h r a g m i t e s % teering, please contact Heather Tuc k - 20 C o n f e r ence.htm, or contact the field at the Chesapeake Bay Founda- New Jersey Marine Sciences Consor- tion, by phone, (443) 482-2151, or tium, by phone, (732) 872-1300, or email, [email protected] fax, (732) 291-4483.

Maryland Marine Notes (c u r r ent and back issues since 1995) is also available on the web at www.mdsg.umd.edu/MarineNotes

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