Baltimore County to receive $265,000 in Maryland Waterway Improvement Fund awards

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Tuesday announced $13.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants for Fiscal Year 2022 to enhance and improve public boating access, facilities, and navigation throughout the state. Baltimore County will receive a total of $265,000 with awards going to the Baltimore County Fire Department, the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department, and Gunpowder Falls State Park. The […]

Governor Hogan announces COVID-19 relief for agriculture, seafood producers

ANNAPOLIS, MD—At the direction of Governor Larry Hogan, the Maryland Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources on Tuesday announced that they had provided more than $9 million in COVID-19 relief funding to farmers, watermen, and producers. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented hardship for so many, and while Maryland’s farmers and producers are certainly no exception, they have continued to […]

CARES Act funding announced for Maryland fishing industry

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced this week that economic relief funds would be made available to the state’s commercial seafood industry through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), for those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be available beginning on November 4th.  The application will be available to eligible […]

Governor Hogan announces new attendance record for Maryland state parks

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Monday announced that the Maryland Park Service is reporting a total of 17.1 million visitors to date in 2020, already surpassing the previous record of 14.9 million total visitors in 2019, with three months still remaining in the year. During peak season in July, state parks attracted 3.4 million visitors, compared to 2.5 million during […]

Governor Hogan issues proclamation for ‘Buy Maryland Seafood Days’

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan has proclaimed Saturdays in the month of September as “Buy Maryland Seafood Days,” encouraging all Marylanders to support the state’s iconic seafood industry. Lieutenant Governor Boyd K. Rutherford presented the proclamation today to Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder and Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio during a virtual meeting of the Board of Public Works. “The Chesapeake Bay […]

Chesapeake Bay blue crab population shows healthy spawning stock

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday announced the results of the 2020 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which estimates the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay annually. The 2020 results showed that the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population maintains a healthy number of spawning-age female […]

How to support local farmers, restaurants during stay-at-home order

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Food and agriculture businesses remain essential under Governor Larry Hogan’s Stay at Home order; including grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and restaurants offering carry-out and delivery service. In compliance with the governor’s order, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s marketing program, Maryland’s Best, is working to connect Marylanders with farmers and seafood producers providing fresh, local food products. The […]

Maryland oyster season dates, limits set for 2019-2020

BALTIMORE, MD-The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has issued season limits for the 2019-2020 oyster harvesting season. The 2019-20 season will begin October 1, 2019 with no commercial harvesting on Wednesdays, and temporary closures to wild harvesting in certain areas where there is a low abundance of oysters, low natural spat set or where spat-on-shell plantings are being protected, including […]