The Fisheries Ecosystem Assessment Division is working to understand how habitat changes impact Maryland's fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay. Our focus has been primarily on understanding how urbanization limits habitat for fish.

With proximity to the nation's capital, and surrounding metropolitan areas and desirability as a playground, Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed is rapidly developing. Fisheries researchers and managers are becoming more aware of the effects of growth on the living resources of the Bay and the small rivers and streams that flow into the Bay.​