Chesapeake Bay Journal

In a move painful for watermen but one that scientists said was essential to maintain the Bay's most valuable remaining fisheries, Virginia and Maryland in April moved to slash female blue crab harvests by 34 percent this year.

The moves follow a near-record low Baywide crab harvest of 44.2 million pounds last year, and continuing evidence that the blue crab population lingers near historic low levels.

The cuts were sought by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who reinforced the urgency of the situation by making a joint appearance along the Potomac River, where they were briefed on the latest blue crab survey results.

"Maryland and Virginia must act now, and we must act together, to reduce harvest pressure on blue crabs immediately, and in so doing protect both the biological and the economic sustainability of our shared resource," the governors said in a joint statement.

Chopped Up: Got woods? If so, you are in good company.

Coalition calls on PA to help fund sewage upgrades, ag programs: Contending that Pennsylvania has shortchanged efforts to clean up the Chesapeake, a diverse coalition in April called for $170 million in additional spending this year to help farmers, local governments and others control nutrient pollution.

Virginia's new tourism pitch will have visitors seeing 'green': Environmentally friendly attractions are being promoted by Virginia tourism officials to direct visitors to destinations that are easy on the environment.

Bay grasses expanded 10% in 2007; low-salinity areas had greatest increase: Underwater grass beds in the Chesapeake expanded by nearly 10 percent during 2007, driven largely by the ongoing recovery of beds in the Susquehanna Flats and other low-salinity areas.

EPA reformulates contentious rules for restoring destroyed wetlands: The EPA in late March announced requirements that would encourage developers to compensate for the destruction of wetlands or streams by paying for the restoration or creation of new ones elsewhere, sometimes many miles away.

5 Christmas trees, 3 auto seats, 2 fuel tanks ...and a cleaner Potomac: Thousands of volunteers marked the 20th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup by gathering a prosthetic leg, double bed, tens of thousands of beverage containers and assorted other trash from streams throughout the watershed.

Project Clean Stream gathers 80 tons of trash in Maryland: More than 2,600 volunteers gathered 80 tons of trash from 102 streamside sites throughout Maryland as part of the annual Project Clean Stream cleanup that took place April 5.

Reports reveal a degraded Chesapeake despite restoration efforts: Two reports released in April continue to paint a picture of a Bay ecosystem that remains severely degraded despite a quarter century of restoration efforts.

Beachfront, marshes forest preserved on VA Eastern Shore: Nearly 300 acres of beachfront, marsh and forest are being added to the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge.

Farmers planning to significantly increase crop acreage this year: The amount of crop land in the Bay region will increase this year if farmers follow through on planting intentions reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.