As directed by House Bill 103, DNR submitted the permit application to dredge shell from Man O War Shoal. The purpose of this project is to acquire oyster shell that can be used in several ways to restore oyster populations and oyster fisheries in the Bay. Shell may be used to improve existing oyster bars to enhance natural recruitment, to provide a foundation for hatchery-spawned seed oysters deployed to encourage reestablishment of an abundant and self-sustaining oyster population, to provide substrate for leased bottom in support of aquaculture, and to provide substrate needed to sustain oyster fisheries in Maryland. All of these efforts are components of recommendations of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2000 Agreement, the Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission, and the 2005 Oyster Management Plan and are necessary to implement the preferred alternative specified in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay Including the Use of a Native and/or Nonnative Oyster (USACE et al. 2009).

A Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) study of the Man-O-War shoal indicated that the shoal comprises between 86 million and 103 million bushels of oyster shell (J. Halka, MGS, pers. comm.). DNR intends ultimately to remove approximately 30% of the available shell (about 30 million bushels) to use primarily to restore oyster habitat and oyster populations for ecological purposes. In response to stakeholders’ concerns about the potential ecological effects of a shell-dredging project of this magnitude, DNR is requesting an initial five-year permit to dredge five million bushels of shell as part of a comprehensive monitoring project to assess the ecological consequences of removing shell from the shoal.

Click here to view a copy of the permit application (8MB in size).

Further information concerning the application can be obtained by contacting Eric Campbell.

The Secretary of Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) pursuant to Code of Maryland Regulation 08.02.22.04B announces that in conjunction with National Marine Fisheries Service and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission the commercial fishery for non-sandbar large coastal sharks species group will be closed effective July 1, 2009. Landings of these sharks could exceed 80 percent of the available 2009 quota by this date. Sharks included in this category are silky, tiger, blacktip, spinner, bull, lemon, nurse, scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, and smooth hammerhead. All commercial landing, harvest and possession of these species is prohibited until further notice.

On behalf of Maryland DNR Fisheries Service Director, Tom O'Connell:
I am writing to clarify information previously released about the consumption of striped bass and bluefish from the Atlantic coastal waters of Maryland. The Maryland Department of the Environment, along with other east coast states this week, issued a fish consumption advisory for striped bass and bluefish. This advisory only includes fish caught recreationally from the Atlantic coastal waters.

The advisory is based on levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) and recommends that pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and children six years of age and younger not eat any striped bass or bluefish caught recreationally in the Atlantic, and the general population should not eat more than one meal per month of striped bass and one meal every other month of bluefish.

The Eastern Coastal Striped Bass and Bluefish Consumption Advisory Workgroup, of which MDE is a member, made the decision to issue a blanket advisory for all states involved. This particular advisory does not address striped bass caught in the Chesapeake Bay and its estuaries.

Maryland does have a less restrictive consumption advisory issued by MDE for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay. It recommends size based reductions in meals per month for all consumers. For Chesapeake Bay striped bass over 28 inches, it also recommends that children avoid consumption. This reflects the current contamination values for striped bass in the Bay, but it may be updated later this year after additional fish are analyzed.

Maryland does not have an advisory in the Bay for bluefish consumption because larger bluefish tend to be found further north, and the Workgroup found that there is a positive correlation between contamination levels and size of bluefish. Maryland will be collecting and analyzing additional Chesapeake bluefish samples later this year.

The MDE advisory for the Atlantic coastal waters only covers recreationally caught fish, not commercially caught fish. The Food and Drug Administration maintains jurisdiction over commercially caught fish. Because of different risk calculations, based on the likelihood that fish are brought from more diverse sources, the FDA applies different standards. For more information on how it determines a consumption advisory, the FDA website is www.FDA.gov.

The Eastern Coastal Striped Bass and Bluefish Consumption Advisory Workgroup, was formed to develop consistent advice for consumption of recreational catch of these species which migrate between state waters. The Workgroup examined contaminant data, from state and federal sources including Maryland. The data indicates that PCB concentrations have declined since the 1980s. However, recent medical information suggests that a more restrictive consumption advisory is warranted.

If you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to contact me at customerservice@dnr.state.md.us.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service is clarifying the crew requirements for the 2009 daily bushel limits for mature female hard crabs. The 2009 daily bushel limits are determined based on an individual’s crab pot license authorization as described in Natural Resources Article, §4-701 and 4-814. Pursuant to COMAR 08.02.03.14 the daily commercial mature female hard crab bushel limits for 2009 are as follows:

	Bushels
Seasons	LCC	TFL OR CB3	TFL with CB6 OR CB3 with CB6	TFL with CB9 OR CB3 with CB9
April 1- May 31	2	10	15	20
June 16 – August 31	2	6	10	15
Sept. 1 – Nov. 10 (except Sept./Oct. closure)	10	25	35	45
The above acronyms stand for: LCC – Limited Crab Harvester License 50 pots; CB3 – Crab Harvester License 300 pots; CB6 – 600 pot authorization; CB9 – 900 pot authorization; and TFL – Unlimited Tidal Fish License.

As described in Natural Resources Article, §4-814 a 600 pot authorization (CB6) requires the license holder to have one crew member in addition to him/herself and a 900 pot authorization (CB9) requires the license holder to have two crew members in addition to him/herself on board. These additional crew members must be on board the vessel in order for the licensee to harvest at the bushel limit assigned to a CB6 or CB9. If crew members are not on board, then the licensee is restricted to the TFL or CB3 bushel limits.

The Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) pursuant to Code of Maryland Regulation 08.02.10.01 has announced the following modification to the 2009 commercial horseshoe crab fishery in order to conserve female horseshoe crabs still spawning in the coastal bays at this time.

The horseshoe crab fishery will be open more than one mile off the Maryland Atlantic coast from June 8 and continuing through July 10, 2009. Harvesters possessing a Maryland Horseshoe Crab Harvester’s Permit are allowed to harvest and possess 100 crabs per day. All Maryland waters will be open beginning July 13 and continuing through November 30, 2009. Harvesters with a permit shall be allowed to harvest and possess the daily limit of crabs indicated on their permits. Fishermen without a permit are limited to harvesting and possessing a maximum of 25 crabs per day. Fishermen are reminded that they must land in their daily catch at least two male horseshoe crabs for each female horseshoe crab landed.

The Secretary may, by public notice, alter the catch limits or close the season if the catch rates exceed expectations and the state quota is calculated to be met or exceeded prior to the regulated November 30, 2009 end of the season.

The coastal commercial spiny dogfish fishery opened May 1, 2009 with a quota of 12 million pounds that may be harvested prior to April 30, 2010. There are several new developments in management and allocation of the available quota and a summary of the requirements and allowable practices has been prepared to assist Maryland fishermen in complying with state and federal rules.

Click here to read the entire compliance guide.

New for 2009, Maryland and Virginia have entered into a reciprocal agreement honoring certain fishing guide licenses in both states’ waters. Maryland will honor the Virginia Class A Fishing Guide License in Maryland tidal waters and Virginia will honor both the Maryland Resident Fishing Guide License and the Maryland Nonresident Fishing Guide License in Virginia tidal salt-waters. These license holders are automatically entitled to take advantage of the reciprocal agreement without any additional fees, a free permit is needed from the alternate state.

To read more about the process, permits and application please go to Maryland's related press release. To view the Maryland application form click on this link.

DNR received 540 rainbow trout from the Freshwater Institute on June 3, the fish were 4 lbs. each! We stocked 120 in Rocky Gap, 140 in Wills Creek, 140 in Evitts Creek, 70 in Savage River and 70 in Bear Creek.  In addition, the Catch & Release area on Owen’s Creek in Frederick County received 500 brown trout. If you have any questions regarding this latest stocking please contact Ed Livengood at 301-746-8148.

The 2009 scheduled spring trout stocking is complete, Click this link to check out all the latest information regarding the 2009 spring trout stocking. You'll find the full schedule along with a printable version of the schedule. Be sure to visit the Google Maps linked directly to the interactive table, the maps can provide directions to stocked locations across the state, they also provide some fishing regulations and other useful information. You can also get stocking up-dates at 1-800-688-3467 once stocking begins. Go to our full trout stocking page for all the updates and details.

Be sure to check the table towards the bottom of our trout stocking page for the latest updates!  Please follow the rules which are in place to make this an enjoyable experience for everyone, if you spot poaching of any kind please place a call to our Catch a Poacher Hotline at 1-800-635-6124 - a cash reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction of a violator.

MDNR is asking anglers to continue to be vigilant about not spreading whirling, other disease and invasive organisms. For information on how you can help look below this article. A detailed synopsis of our 2007 whirling disease testing results and related information is now available at this site. For more information click on this link.

Now available online, the 2009 Fishing Guide, the guide includes summaries of this years regulations along with predicted tides and much more! The guide traditionally accompanies the purchase of your fishing license and covers Freshwater, Chesapeake Bay, Coastal and Atlantic Ocean recreational fishing and crabbing regulations for the State of Maryland. If your internet speed is a concern please note the file size of the 2009 guide, it is 2 megabytes, if you would rather not download the file please visit your nearest license retailer for a hard copy.

To view and download the entire fishing guide book click this link.