r/chesapeakebay

Dolphin sighting in the Chesapeake Bay 🐬🐬

Still can’t believe it…!

Virginia’s newly passed final budget includes $2 million for a highly anticipated study by William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science to investigate the menhaden population in the Chesapeake Bay. 

The funding, introduced as a budget amendment by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, comes amid growing concerns from environmentalists and recreational anglers over what they believe is a decline in menhaden and the predator species that feed on them, such as ospreys and striped bass. 

While industry officials say that coastwide assessments show no evidence of overfishing, environmental groups argue that regional data may mask a localized decline within the bay itself.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/environment/2026-06-30/virginia-budget-funds-long-awaited-research-on-menhaden-in-the-chesapeake-bay

Hat tip to Steven Dennis on Bluesky for digging this gem up: Post by @steventdennis.bsky.social — Bluesky

As part of the $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion project, workers are dismantling much of the decades-old infrastructure to double the number of driving lanes.

Rather than sending these bridge decks and beams to landfills, the Virginia Department of Transportation is partnering with the state to upcycle the rubble into an artificial reef program.

This disposal method is expected to support wildlife habitats while providing a cheaper alternative for the expansion project.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/environment/2026-06-22/100-000-tons-of-rubble-from-hrbt-expansion-will-go-onto-artificial-reefs-in-the-chesapeake-bay

🐟 PSA for anyone who cares about the Chesapeake Bay: there's a silent threat lurking below the surface.

The Blue Catfish was introduced to Virginia rivers in the 1970s as a sport fish. Nobody told it to stay put. It's now found in nearly every tidal river in Maryland, it can live 20+ years, grow to over 100 lbs, and eat basically everything in sight — blue crab, menhaden, American eel, you name it. Watermen are noticing. Scientists are alarmed. And the Bay's ecosystem is under real pressure.

On June 25 in Easton, MD, Lectures on the Shore is hosting an evening with two people who are doing something about it:

🔬 Dr. Noah Bressman — marine biologist at Salisbury University, researches invasive species in the Bay, works with MD DNR and USGS
🦞 Nick Hargrove — waterman from Tilghman Island who built a seafood processing plant specifically to catch, process, and sell blue catfish commercially. He literally got a Congressional Record Citation for it in 2024.

The idea: if you can create a market for the fish, watermen have an incentive to pull them out of the Bay. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a real one — and it's working.

Reception with speakers at 5:30 p.m. ($60) | Program 6:30–8:00 p.m. ($40) | Livestream also available if you're not local

📍 Temple B'Nai Israel, 7199 Tristan Drive, Easton, MD
🎟️ https://chesapeakeforum.org/course/lectures-on-the-shore-the-blue-catfish-dilemma-threat-or-opportunity/

Questions? Reach out to info@chesapeakeforum.org. This one's worth the drive (or the stream)!