Friday, February 24, 2012

Where to Catch Rainbow Trout in Maryland

Each spring Maryland DNR stocks rainbow trout in streams, creeks, reservoirs, and ponds throughout the state. Fishing regulations and stocking dates may vary by location.

The following list includes several popular fishing spots where stocked trout may be found:

Lake Needwood (Montgomery)
Allens Pond (Prince Georges)
Tuckohoe Creek (Caroline)
Middle Patuxent River - Delayed Harvest (Howard)
Patuxent River - Catch & Return (Howard/Montgomery)
Morgan Run - Catch & Return Area (Carroll)
South Branch Patapsco River, Upper (Carroll)
North Branch Potomac River at Barnum (Garrett)
North Branch Potomac River Upper Catch and Release Area (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River Delayed Harvest Area (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River - Oakland (Garrett)
Youghiogheny River - Friendsville (Garrett)
Cunningham Falls Lake (Frederick)
Frank Bentz Pond (Frederick)
Rainbow Lake (Frederick)
Taneytown Pond - Robert's Mills (Carroll)
Battie Mixon Ponds (Allegany)
Patapsco River at Daniels (Baltimore)
Lake Habeeb - Rocky Gap (Allegany)
Jennings Run (Allegany)
Beaver Creek (Washington)
Blairs Valley Lake (Washington)
Greenbrier Lake (Washington)
Little Antietam Creek - Youth & Blind Only (Washington)
Little Tonoloway Creek, Upper (Washington)
Farm Museum Pond (Carroll)
Piney Run Reservoir (Carroll)
Elkhorn Lake (Howard)

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

2012 Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants

The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is now accepting applications for grants through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program, an initiative dedicated to helping volunteer-based, non-profit groups and communities solve natural resource issues. The grants are funded in part by the State Highway Administration, a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation. MET must receive applications by March 31, 2012.

MET is offering two types of grants through the program:

The Margaret Rosch Jones Award of up to $2,000 is awarded to voluntary nonprofit groups or communities that make continuing plans for a project that has already demonstrated a basic understanding and resolution of an environmental issue.

The Jones award is given in memory of Margaret Jones, the executive director and moving spirit of the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program for many years. MET hopes to remind citizens of Jones’ devotion, energy and ingenuity by presenting an award in her name to a group whose voluntary activities personified these attributes that she brought to her work.

Applicants must also meet one or both of the following criteria:

 - Groups that have been active in educating people in their community about at least one of the following concerns: litter prevention, community beautification, and local or statewide environmental issue(s).

 - Groups that have been successful in eliminating or reducing the causes of a local environmental problem rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

The Bill James Environmental Grants of up to $1,000 are awarded to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other nonprofit youth groups for proposed environmental education projects. The Bill James Environmental Grants are given in memory of William S. James, who drafted legislation to create the Trust, incorporating the activities of the Governor's Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

Applications may be obtained from the Maryland Environmental Trust, First Floor, 100 Community Pl., Crownsville, Md., 21032-2023 or dnr.maryland.gov/met/grant_programs.asp

source: MD DNR

Monday, February 13, 2012

Maryland Fish Kills

In Maryland, a wide range of environmental factors may be related to fish kills.

In May 2009, a fish kill of smallmouth bass and sunfish was reported in the upper Monocacy River. The event was similar to other springtime fish kills in the Potomac River watershed that have occurred since 2002.

Investigations of springtime fish kills in the watershed found a variety of possible factors that might have been involved. Possible causes for fish deaths were listed as: contaminants, damaged skin, gills and internal organs, parasites, and spawning stress. Biologists also discovered a high prevalence of intersex in some species, most notably smallmouth bass.

In July, 2010, a fish kill on the Severn River included bay anchovy, Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic needlefish, and white perch. Staff from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) investigated the kill and estimated the number of dead fish to be 1000 or more.

MDE reported that a heavy algae bloom was present at the time of the kill. The investigation concluded that the cause of the fish kill was low dissolved oxygen induced by the large bloom of non-toxic algae.


In July, 2010, Maryland's Department of the Environment and the Department of Natural Resources investigated a large fish kill in Deep Creek Lake.

The 2010 Deep Creek Lake fish kill involved hundreds of dead fish and invertebrates including yellow perch, walleye, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, bluegills, chain pickerel, Northern pike, and crayfish.

Research indicated that unusually high temperatures in the lake's upper water column set the stage for a parasite protozoan infestation. According to scientists, cold water species of fish were primarily affected by the parasite infestation.

In late December, 2010 and January 2011, a fish kill in the Chesapeake Bay involved roughly two million fish. The fish were almost exclusively small (3-6 inch) spot fish. The fish kill occurred from the Bay Bridge to Poplar Island.

The Maryland Department of the Environment investigated the kill and found that cold water stress, combined with a large population of fish was the most likely cause of the kill.

Winter fish kills involving spot have occurred at least twice before in Maryland. In late January 1976, records show that about 15 million spot died of winter stress in the bay. A smaller number of spot deaths were recorded in January 1980

Fish kills also occur in Maryland coastal bays, most often in dead-end canals. Due to a lack of flushing action in canals, algae blooms can lead to hypoxic or anoxic conditions. Fish kills can occur in dead-end canals when schools of fish enter and become trapped in lethal water conditions. During the summer of 2001, approximately 3,000,000 Atlantic silversides entered a canal in West Ocean City and apparently became entrapped during low tide overnight. The fish became concentrated by low water, exhausted all available oxygen, and died.

Maryland residents can report fish kills and algae blooms at 1-866-MDE-GOTO or 877-224-RBAY. Reports of dead or dying fish in the Monocacy or Potomac River can be reported by contacting the Maryland Safety and Environmental Hotline (877) 224-7229 or the DNR-Fisheries Service at (301) 898-5443 with the time, date, location, fish species, and approximate number of affected fish. Photographs and a description of any unusual behavior or water conditions are also helpful.

Friday, February 10, 2012

2011-12 Maryland Deer Season Statistics

Maryland deer hunters enjoyed the fourth highest harvest on record during the 2011-2012 hunting season. In Maryland, hunters harvested a total of 98,029 deer during the state's bow, muzzleloader and firearm seasons.

The total is just below last year’s harvest of 98,663 deer. The antlered harvest increased 3 percent, while the antlerless harvest declined by the same percentage. In Maryland, 2,657 sika deer were harvested statewide; a 4 percent decrease from last year’s total for this species.

In Deer Management Region A (Garrett, Allegany, and western Washington counties) hunters reported taking 10,358 deer this year, up 11 percent from 2010-11.
The reported harvest in the remainder of the State, Region B, declined 2 percent to 87,671 deer this year.

Frederick County once again led the harvest totals for the State with 8,378 deer, followed by Baltimore County with 6,804 and Washington County with 6,753 deer.

Sunday deer hunting contributed to deer harvests in Maryland. The Junior Deer Hunt, traditionally held on a Saturday, included the following Sunday in 20 of 23 counties for the first time this year. Sunday hunting accounted for a total of 6,278 deer, 6 percent of the 2011-12 harvest.

source: MD DNR

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Bounty Of The Bay Dinner in Annapolis

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Boatyard Bar & Grill will co-host the Bounty of the Bay Dinner from 6 to10 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28 in Annapolis.

“The Bounty of the Bay Dinner is a celebration of Maryland Seafood and our State’s watermen,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “By supporting local watermen, farmers and restaurants, not only are we are supporting our State’s economy, but our food doesn’t have to travel far to get our table, which means fewer carbon emissions and a fresher product.”

Through The Bounty of the Bay, DNR and its partners are working to highlight the State’s down-home delicacies and the hardworking men and women behind them. Dinner will include the standard Maryland fare, but also highlight overlooked dishes such as yellow perch.

The dinner comes on the heels of the successful From the Bay, For the Bay Dine Out, which took place in early October. More than 170 restaurants from Pennsylvania to Virginia donated $1 from every dinner Maryland seafood dinner sold during that week to the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a non-profit organization working to rebuild the Chesapeake Bay’s native oyster population. DNR, the Oyster Recovery Partnership and the participating restaurants raised more than $20,000 to help restore Maryland’s native oyster.

The Bounty Of The Bay Dinner will include a raw bar and a five-course meal featuring Maryland oysters, crab meat, striped bass, and yellow perch. Tickets will be limited to the first 125 guests who make a reservation. The dinner is $49 per ticket and includes all food, tax and gratuity.

To RSVP or for more information call the Boatyard Bar & Grill at 410-216-6206.

source: MD DNR