Chesapeake Bay blue crab population falls to second-lowest on record

BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population has fallen to its second-lowest level in history, according to a new survey, raising concerns about the health of the iconic species. The joint survey, conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, found an estimated 238 million blue crabs in 2025, just shy of the all-time […]

AURORA FORECAST: Northern Lights may be visible in Maryland on Thursday night due to solar storm

UPDATE: The Northern Lights may also be visible in Maryland on Friday night, October 11th. Original story below… BALTIMORE, MD—Forecasters say the Aurora Borealis may be visible in Maryland on Thursday night. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) says a fast coronal mass ejection (CME, or solar flare) erupted from the Sun on […]

Maryland invests in offshore wind workforce training

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The state of Maryland has announced new grant money to help bolster the state’s offshore wind workforce with a focus on supporting women and people of color. The $4.7 million training and job placement grant program is part of the Maryland Department of Labor’s Maryland Works for Wind initiative. The initiative includes a collaboration between employers, unions, training providers, […]

NOAA awards $10 million grant for Chesapeake Bay oyster sanctuary

BALTIMORE, MD—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that it will award a $10 million grant for the construction of a new oyster sanctuary in the Chesapeake Bay. The funding will help establish a sustainable future for the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population, which is critical to the health of the bay’s ecosystems and economy. The new reef will […]

SWPC issues first Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch since 2005, Northern Lights may be visible in Mid-Atlantic this weekend

BALTIMORE, MD—The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued its first Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch since 2005, and the Northern Lights may be visible in parts of the Mid-Atlantic this weekend. At least five earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed and expected to arrive as early as midday on Friday, May 10, 2024, and persist through Sunday, May […]

Maryland pursuing actions to control invasive catfish after federal fisheries disaster declined

BALTIMORE, MD—Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce notified Maryland Governor Wes Moore that it had declined Maryland’s request for a federal commercial fisheries disaster declaration that was sought to help address the economic and ecological damage caused by the spread of invasive catfish and snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Maryland made the unique request in March as a […]