April 2020 Volume 30 Number 2 Coronavirus hinders Bay restoration efforts, seafood industry ≈ Cleanup and planting in coming months, and projects, farm visits put possibly years, at a time when on hold; groups worry they had hoped to significantly increase spending on the Bay about funding for future cleanup. BY BAY JOURNAL STAFF “There’s obviously going Watermen have no to be a delay in any new plans restaurants that can buy their and conservation work,” said catches. Help for farmers who Lindsay Thompson, execu- want to install runoff controls tive director of the Maryland has been sharply curtailed. Association of Conservation Streams throughout the region Districts. In a sentiment are missing their annual spring reflected by many, she added, cleaning. And many students “Right now, it’s really just are losing their chance to [about] trying to keep the experience the Chesapeake wheels rolling and keep Bay firsthand. everyone safe.” The impact of the new coronavirus, barely on the Delays & cancellations radar only a few months Tree plantings, school field ago, is rippling through the trips, citizen oyster restoration Chesapeake Bay region, with activities and the region’s larg- Brendan Burke, impacts felt from Pennsylvania est litter cleanup event are all president of the farm fields to Eastern Shore being postponed or altered as Maritime Heri- oyster grounds. While some environmental groups struggle tage Chapter of impacts are minor, such as with the sweeping disruptions. the Archaeologi- the postponement of meetings “We’re in uncharted terri- cal Society of and cleanup events, others tory,” said Willy Agee, vice Virginia, walks could become significant if president of the Chesapeake by the ribs of the COVID-19 crisis lingers, Bay Foundation. His his group, one of the Nan- potentially creating another as well as the Alliance for the semond’s ghost setback for Bay pollution Chesapeake Bay, have been ships.(Tamara control initiatives. forced to delay environmen- Dietrich) While some point to slivers tal field work. of positive news — air pollu- The immobilizing of tion is down — the near- construction contractors as a shutdown of business activity Bones of ‘ghost fleet’ haunt Nansemond is likely to slam state budgets See Virus on page 22 After the Civil War, to crabbing skiffs, these riverine shipping lanes, these ≈ vessels helped to resurrect this vessels were abandoned Suffolk, VA, became Virginia city after the ruin- near the wharfs they once a maritime industrial ous Civil War. They hauled serviced. They sank beneath powerhouse oysters and scallops up and the surface and settled onto the BY TAMARA DIETRICH down the mid-Atlantic, sup- river bottom — lost to living In a muddy bend of the plying hotels and restaurants memory. Nansemond River, hidden from Chicago to New Orleans, Until now. amid Suffolk’s bustling busi- all the while transforming Local history buffs explor- LANC., PA 17604 PA LANC., ness district, lie the rotting Suffolk into an industrial ing the riverbank stumbled PERMIT 280 PERMIT remains of old wooden boats. powerhouse of maritime trade. across the submerged wrecks PAID From bugeyes to barges, In time, though, as railroads a few years ago during an U.S. POSTAGE U.S. logboats to tugboats, canoes began to supplant traditional NONPROFIT ORG NONPROFIT Bay Journal, P.O. Box 222, Jacobus, PA 17407-0222 PA Jacobus, 222, Box P.O. Journal, Bay See Boats on page 20 Bay Journal • April 2020 2 is published by Bay Journal Media to inform Editor’s Note BAY JOURNAL the public about ecological, scientific, historic and cultural issues and events related to the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay Journal, The Bay Journal is here for you circulation 35,000, is published monthly except in midsummer and midwinter. It is distributed free of charge. Bundles are available Little has been more even if it cannot be financial. You can for distribution. Material may be reproduced, with permission shocking than how much always help by introducing the Bay and attribution. Publication is made possible by grants through has changed since we Journal to a friend! the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay wrapped up the previous In the meantime, stay safe and Program Office, the Campbell Foundation, the National Oceanic edition of the Bay Journal healthy. and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office, the just four weeks ago. Sumner T. McKnight Foundation, the Rauch Foundation, the Who would have Stuck at home? Stream our films Fair Play Foundation, the Shared Earth Foundation, the Virginia thought, a month ago, If you’re feeling homebound during Environmental Endowment, anonymous donors, and by reader that toilet paper would the coronavirus crisis and need a nature contributions. Views expressed in the Bay Journal do not become a prized commodity, or Zoom “fix,” you can try a virtual outing. necessarily represent those of any funding agency or organization. meetings would become a part of Our four Chesapeake Bay documen- daily life for many people as they were taries are available for streaming on our For mailing list additions/changes, please use the form on this increasingly sequestered at home? website (bayjournal.com): Nassawango page or contact: Bay Journal, P.O. Box 222, Jacobus, PA 17407-0222 Here at the Bay Journal, the impact Legacy, An Island Out of Time, High E-mail: [email protected] has been less severe. Our staff already Tide in Dorchester and Beautiful Swim- BAY JOURNAL MEDIA works from home offices, so we didn’t mers. All were produced by the award have to shift our operations, though winning team of Tom Horton, Dave Bay Journal Media is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission certainly we’re all traveling a lot less. Harp and Sandy Cannon-Brown. to further public education and awareness of issues affecting the We know many people have been For more ideas of creative things Chesapeake Bay and the mid-Atlantic environment by creating and affected to a far greater extent, and you can do at home, and help the distributing journalistic products. In addition to producing the Bay financial challenges have impacted environment at the same time, visit this Journal, Bay Journal Media operates the Bay Journal News Service, nearly everyone. So we recognize that month’s Chesapeake Challenge and Bay which distributes Bay Journal articles and original op-eds about when you receive our 2020 Annual Buddies on page 33. the Chesapeake Bay or regional environmental issues to more than 400 Fund appeal in the next few days, not newspapers in the region, reaching several million readers each month. everyone will be able to help support Bay Journal bundles available our work. But if you are able to make a Bundles of Bay Journals are normally Karl Blankenship, Executive Director donation, we truly appreciate it. available for regular distribution at Andrew Nolan, CPA, Chief Financial Officer The Bay Journal is, and will remain, many libraries, nature centers, sporting STAFF free. stores, schools and restaurants. But We operate with the belief that an because many of those outlets were Editor: Karl Blankenship ([email protected]) informed public is essential for decision closed when we went to press, with no Managing Editor: Lara Lutz ([email protected]) making in general, for the Bay cleanup indication of when they may reopen, Associate Editor/Projects: Timothy B. Wheeler ([email protected]) in particular, and even for democracy as many of those shipments did not go out. Bay Journal News Service Editor: Tim Sayles ([email protected]) a whole. We will have a limited supply of the CONTACT US Copy/Design Editor: Kathleen A. Gaskell ([email protected]) If you can give, we are very grateful, April edition available. Places that did by mail: Staff Writer: Jeremy Cox ([email protected]) especially in these uncertain times. If not receive their regular shipment which The Bay Journal Staff Writer: Ad Crable ([email protected]) you cannot, we understand. reopen can contact me, and we will send 619 Oakwood Drive Staff Writer: Whitney Pipkin ([email protected]) Building an informed, engaged and extra copies while supplies last. Seven Valleys, PA Photographer: Dave Harp ([email protected]) caring public is a community effort — — Karl Blankenship 17360-9395 ADVERTISING one where everyone has a role to play, Marketing & Advertising Director: Jacqui Caine ([email protected]) by phone: BOARD OF DIRECTORS 717-428-2819 Sign Up for the Bay Journal or Change your Address Mary Barber, President TheBay Journal is distributed FREE by Bay Journal Media, Inc. If you would like to be added to its mailing list or need to change your present address, please fill out this form To inquire about Bill Eichbaum, Vice-President advertising, contact Karl Blankenship, Secretary and mail it to Bay Journal, P.O. Box 222, Jacobus, PA 17407-0222. Kim Coble, Treasurer o o Jacqui Caine at Check One: New Subscription Change of Address Donald Boesch 540-903-9298 o Please remove my name from your mailing list Don Luzatto Please note that it may take up to two issues for changes to become effective. Mark Platts Corrections Name: A March article about the Trump Chesapeake Challenge learned that Address: administration’s rollback of protections an answer in the March quiz, Earn your for wetlands and waterways garbled Trout stripes doing this rockfish quiz!, is now City: State: Unlimited’s estimate of how much of the outdated. The way to determine the age of Zip: Bay watershed would be affected. The a striped bass is to count the wide growth Optional: Enclosed is a donation to the Bay Journal Fund for $ group figures that there are 111,000 miles rings (called annuli) on the fish’s ear bone of ephemeral streams, or 47 percent of all (otolith).