Significant Impacts 2023

Partners: Chesapeake Research Consortium; Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental control (DE DNREC); Long Island Invasive Species Management Area; Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR); New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ DEP, NJ DFW); New Jersey Water Supply Authority; New York Department of Conservation; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC); North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality; North Carolina Sea Grant; Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP); Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; Pennsylvania Sea Grant; Rutgers University; University of Delaware (UDEL); US Army Corps of Engineers (DOD, Army, USACE); US Department of Transportation (US DOT); US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA); US Fish and Wildlife Service (US DOI, FWS); Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VA DCR); Virginia Tech University; West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Relevance: Invasive aquatic plants and animals can spread quickly between waterways through a variety of methods, like motorboat transportation between water bodies, release from aquariums, or ballast water or the hulls of ships. While many state agencies, organizations and researchers are working to understand, monitor, and manage aquatic invasive species, regional coordination can ensure that current knowledge, practices, and challenges are shared proactively. Established by the federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, MAPAIS leads this coordination role among the Mid-Atlantic states.

Response: Maryland Sea Grant served as the fiscal agent for the MAPAIS for the last 11 years, helping to coordinate semi-annual meetings for the panel members, lead proposal competitions, and develop and maintain the MAPAIS website. Maryland Sea Grant managed approximately $500,000 in grant funds for MAPAIS during this time. Staff also served MAPAIS in various leadership roles over the last two decades, helping to advance invasive species management in Maryland and beyond.

Results: Maryland Sea Grant led competitions to support more than 30 projects as the MAPAIS fiscal agent, including the development of aquatic invasive species plans for the states of Delaware and New Jersey, and research projects to study the early detection and spread of didymo, New Zealand mud snails, snakehead, catfish, rapa whelks, and Phragmites. MAPAIS-funded projects also included education and outreach efforts to educate students and broader communities about slowing the spread of invasive species. Products such the Mid-Atlantic Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species and K-12 educational resources have been distributed and used by educators and managers across the region. Through collaboration with Maryland panel members, Sea Grant also helped develop the Maryland Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan, which sets Maryland’s aquatic invasive species strategy and brings additional federal dollars to the state for management.

Partners: Assateague Island National Seashore, National Park Service; Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (US DOC, NOAA, NOS, NERRS); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US DOC, NOAA); Port of Baltimore, Poplar Island; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research (VCR LTER); Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rice River Center; Virginia Sea Grant

Relevance: The Chesapeake Bay experiences some of the highest rates of sea level rise on the East Coast, leading to strain on local ecosystems and infrastructure. With habitats ranging from the Bay estuary to its adjacent marshes, rivers, streams, and forests, the Chesapeake Bay watershed is complex. Learning how different regions of the Bay experience accelerated rates of sea level rise allows federal, state, and local groups to recognize and respond to immediate concerns, plan for future impacts, and help communities become more resilient to climate change.

Response: In 2015, Maryland Sea Grant helped found the Chesapeake Bay Sentinel Site Cooperative (CBSSC), a group of 13 government agencies, research institutions, nonprofits, and land managers studying sea level rise in the Chesapeake Bay. Today, CBSSC’s coordinator at Maryland Sea Grant helps to advance collaborative work on sea level rise throughout the watershed. CBSSC collects long-term data on water level, ground elevation, wildlife, and other indicators of sea level rise at locations throughout the Bay, including eight interagency “sentinel sites” (distinct geographic locations selected for the program). The data sheds light on the impacts of sea level rise over time, and supports further research, outreach, and education on coastal hazards, like flooding. CBSSC pairs ecological data with social science, looking at socioeconomic factors that impact how coastal communities respond to and adapt to sea level rise.

Results: Since 2015, the Chesapeake Bay Sentinel Site Cooperative (CBSSC) has led research, working groups, and conferences on sea level rise in the Chesapeake Bay. A Surface Elevation Table Working Group of marsh ecologists and coastal managers synthesizes data on wetland elevation. The group has produced a video on monitoring marshes (viewed more than 1,000 times), a conceptual model of marsh dynamics, and an interactive map of surface elevation tables to measure change in wetland sediments. These data are shared with communities to prepare them for flooding and other coastal hazards of climate change. They have also installed marsh and flood monitoring instruments in the Bay. CBSSC has held seven conferences and two webinars, with 400-plus attendees, on topics including marsh resilience and large-scale conservation, vertical land motion, and coastal farming challenges. These lay the groundwork for the Chesapeake Bay Wetlands Strategic Plan and resulted in research proposals; revisions to lists of plantings approved for conservation easements; and publications, including a special feature in Wetlands and conference reports now cited in land management plans. CBSSC’s current focus includes better quantification of marsh ecosystem services, understanding ecosystem transitions spurred by sea level rise, and finding equitable ways to support coastal communities.

Partners: American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT); Anne Arundel County Department of Parks and Recreation
Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage; Severn River Association and Ben Oaks Civic Association; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; University of Maryland Extension (UMD)

Relevance: Phragmites, a nonnative and invasive wetland grass, is dominant in Maryland marsh ecosystems. While its extensive root system can stabilize marshes and store carbon dioxide from the air, it also chokes out native marsh plants and completely dominates marsh communities. However, the science about the most effective ways to restore the wetlands in the aftermath of Phragmites removal has not always been clear.

Response: A team of Maryland Sea Grant-funded researchers and graduate students evaluated which native tidal wetland plants were most successful in restoring wetland ecosystems after Phragmites removal at sites with different salinity levels. They measured the above-ground and below-ground growth of different native plants at different levels of tidal inundation and salinities. They also evaluated sites where Phragmites had been managed for different periods of time, focusing on plant recovery.

Results: Researchers found that after removing Phragmites at a site, transplanting native plants that could reproduce asexually allowed for significant recovery of the native plant community after three years. The researchers demonstrated that native species transplant success varied by flooding and salinity regime. Generally, the plants that grew the most did so at the most flooded, lowest elevations in the experiment site, though several species flourished in less frequent flooding conditions as well. The study also showed that the plants flourished in the study’s sandy substrate, indicating that plants on sites restored with dredge material may grow even under frequently flooded conditions. The research results were shared with homeowners, civic leagues, and management agencies in one-pagers and a workshop to provide effective guidelines and protocols for restoring sites after Phragmites removal. At one research site, owners continue to monitor and remove Phragmites, since the research project findings gave them confidence that their removal strategy was effective and native plants could recover in that area.

Partners: Berry Global Group; Chesapeake Bay Seafood Industry Association; J.M. Clayton and Sons; Louisiana Sea Grant; Louisiana State University, Agricultural Center (LSU); Market Solutions; Maryland Department of Agriculture (MD DA); Maryland Packaging; Multivac Corporation; North Carolina Sea Grant; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), Sea Grant Extension; University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES); Virginia Tech University

Relevance: High hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) uses pressure on a sealed container to reduce bacterial growth and extend the shelf life of food. Although HPP is used by some seafood processors, including in Maryland, to control Vibrio, shuck oysters, or shell lobsters, seafood accounts for less than 10 percent of all HPP applications in food processing. This method extends shelf life without introducing additives or affecting the taste of products—a potential boon for domestic crab meat processors facing competition from imported crab meat.

Response: A Maryland Sea Grant Extension Agent and seafood safety specialist leveraged funding from a $299,963 Saltonstall-Kennedy grant to develop processing protocols for fresh blue crab meat using hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) machines and packaging containers already in use among Maryland’s crab processors. In collaboration with a network of other food safety specialists, the Extension specialist led laboratory tests to detect bacterial growth on the crab meat processed by HPP, as well as a survey of crab meat consumers gauging the taste, texture, and appearance of the HPP crab meat.

Results: The Extension specialist demonstrated that hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) can extend the shelf life of fresh blue crab meat from one week to about three weeks by reducing bacterial growth. Feedback from the consumer sensory testing was positive, and the team developed safe protocols for packing and processing fresh blue crab meat with HPP which were shared for the seafood processing industry in a peer-reviewed open-access journal article and in a two-page fact sheet. Based on the average wholesale value of $25 per pound for local crab meat, the extended shelf life provided by HPP would reduce processor losses by as much as $1.25 per pound, food service and retail loss by about $2.50 per pound, and consumer loss by $2.75 per pound.

Partners: University of Maryland Extension

Relevance: From blue crabs to striped bass and eastern oysters, seafood is central to Maryland’s economy, history, and culture. Maryland’s seafood industry employs thousands of people. As reported by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the dockside value of blue crabs and eastern oysters in 2022 alone was more than $55 million. In 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established regulations for the safe handling of seafood that require processors to undergo Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) training. HACCP is a government-mandated management system for food safety. Many of Maryland’s seafood operators are small, independently owned businesses that benefit from support in keeping up with government regulations for the safe handling and shipping of seafood.

Response: For decades, Maryland Sea Grant Extension seafood technology specialists have provided US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required training for seafood processors in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. The training covers each step of food processing, from harvest to table. The seafood technology specialist conducts on-site training for seafood professionals, including demonstrations of processing techniques and equipment checks. Participants who complete the HACCP training course receive a certificate recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The seafood technology specialist also offers a course on bivalve safety that is recognized by the Maryland Department of Health and designed for Maryland shellfish dealers who buy and ship live oysters, mussels, and clams. The Extension specialists also help connect consumers with seafood safety information, building public trust in Maryland’s seafood industry.

Results: From 2018-2023, 298 professionals from government, academia, and seafood industries underwent training with Maryland Sea Grant Extension’s seafood technology specialist to receive required certifications. Individuals participated in basic and advanced HACCP seafood training, HACCP for shellfish shippers, and seafood sanitation control procedures. This on-site training, outreach, and technical support leads to better compliance with FDA and state food safety regulations, helping Maryland’s seafood industry remain a trusted and safe source for consumers. In 2023, 48 professionals received HAACP certification. During the global pandemic, the Extension specialist pivoted to provide these trainings virtually, helping the industry to stay in business and to continue to deliver safe seafood to consumers.

Partners: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC); University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Relevance: Atlantic menhaden is an important fish species for the commercial fishing industry in the Chesapeake Bay, and a fish preyed upon by striped bass, a popular recreational catch. Although populations of striped bass can affect the populations of Atlantic menhaden, and vice versa, harvest policies for these fishes have historically been managed separately. However, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has recently been working to co-manage these species using an ecosystem-based fisheries management framework.

Response: In one of the first studies to look at multiple types of harvest control rules for multiple fishes, MDSG-funded researchers combined data about menhaden and striped bass in a simulation model to show how combinations of 27 different harvest control rules for each fish would influence the fish populations and support short- and long-term management goals for the fisheries.

Results: The research team found that Atlantic menhaden abundance was impacted by both fishing and striped bass predation, while the primary influence on striped bass abundance was fishing levels, rather than the availability of prey like Atlantic menhaden. They found that while no harvest control rule was able to meet management targets for both Atlantic menhaden and striped bass simultaneously, some combinations of control rules came closer to meeting management goals than others. As a result of this work, the lead investigator was asked to participate and incorporate the simulation tool in the 2025 striped bass stock assessment process conducted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Partners: Eastern Oyster Breeding Consortium; Morgan State University, Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory (PEARL)

Relevance: As Maryland’s oyster aquaculture industry expands, oyster farmers have increased need for young oysters that they can grow to market size on their oyster leases. Triploid oysters, which contain three sets of chromosomes and are thereby sterile, grow faster than normal diploid oysters, which contain two sets of chromosomes. Triploid oysters have been widely adopted by Maryland aquaculture growers. Triploid oysters’ traits, such as growth and survival, can be further improved by adjusting the oyster family lines the triploid oysters are created from. So far, the triploid oysters used in Maryland aquaculture are from outside the state, as there haven’t been any selectively bred oyster lines in Maryland. Therefore, developing native Maryland oyster broodstock and breeding lines would increase oyster growth and tolerance for Maryland waters.

Response: Maryland Sea Grant-funded researchers used selective breeding to establish Maryland’s first low salinity-tolerant diploid and sterile triploid oyster lines from wild oyster populations in the Patuxent River. The lines were tested in the field and lab for evaluation of their performance. The survival rate of the low-salinity diploid oysters is about 23% higher than the wild oysters in laboratory tests. A triploid line developed through mass selection for growth traits showed 10% larger than a commercial triploid line and 38% larger than diploid oyster in body size after 17 months of growth.

Results: The researchers established Maryland’s first native diploid and triploid oysters for aquaculture. The project strengthened the oyster breeding program at Morgan State University, which continues to refine the oyster lines. The project led to new state funding that supports a new hatchery job, expanded the hatchery’s square footage, and upgraded the hatchery’s laboratory and seawater supply system. The university also plans to purchase new equipment and hatchery supplies so that the hatchery can continue to expand its research program.

Partners: AquaBounty; AquaCon; Benchmark Genetics; Exciton Clean; Hudson Valley Fisheries; Innovasea Systems Inc.; Kennebec River Biosciences; Maine Sea Grant Extension; Morgan State University; Nordic Aquafarms; Skretting North America; Superior Fresh; The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (USDA); U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA, APHIS); University of Maine (UMaine); University of Maryland Baltimore County; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), Sea Grant Extension; University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point (UWSP); Wisconsin Sea Grant

Relevance: Salmon is one of the most in-demand seafood products in the US. Land-based Atlantic salmon production using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) offers the US aquaculture industry a viable and sustainable means to expand salmon production, while increasing biosecurity, minimizing environmental impact, and improving proximity to regional markets. Salmon are produced in large tanks housed in buildings on land, where all production aspects are controlled. This contrasts with open ocean net pen salmon aquaculture where environmental control is limited. In 2019, Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) partnered with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) on a $1.2-million project, the Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N). This multi-state consortium included scientists, economists, biologists, and engineers studying how to optimally grow Atlantic salmon and build the domestic industry using RAS; educating the public about the technology; and supporting related workforce, career, and business development. While building capacity to advance research in RAS, the workgroup developed a prioritized list of the challenges and resources needed to advance salmon aquaculture in RAS.

Response: In 2021, the US Department of Agriculture awarded UMBC and the RAS-N consortium a $10 million grant to build upon their work. This new project, called Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon (SAS2), continues RAS-N work with academic and federal research institutions and industry partners to address specific RAS challenges. The project is led by scientists at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), a longtime center for RAS research. MDSG has collaborated with IMET and funded aquaculture research and education for decades. MDSG staff, Extension specialists, and funded researchers take leading roles in SAS2. An MDSG Extension specialist facilitates education and extension efforts, including collaborating with the MDSG communications team on internal and external products, including a regular newsletter (six issues since 2022), videos, and reports. MDSG’s assistant director for education works with a national education network and local Extension specialists on aquaculture education, including incorporating MDSG’s Aquaculture in Action program into 4-H programming. Another MDSG Extension specialist works on seafood health issues involving Atlantic salmon. MDSG’s director serves as a co-PI and works closely with the lead PI.

Results: With the transition of the RAS-N capacity-building mission to the implementation phase of the SAS2 project, the consortium has accomplished its overarching goal of establishing a framework that will catalyze and support industry success in RAS. About two-thirds of project funding is dedicated to research and one-third to education, workforce development, and community engagement. Research and development efforts continue to address challenges and knowledge gaps in RAS technology. Through this grant, research in several priority areas (off-flavor, early maturation/induced sterility, alternative diets, and broodstock development and supply) has advanced. Academia-industry cooperation—such as sharing of facilities, equipment, and information—has also increased. The consortium held a SAS2 conference in October 2023, for academic researchers, industry professionals, government officials, educators, and students at IMET in Baltimore. Attendees (110) participated in three days of panels, discussions, and field trips and reported that the conference spurred important conversations and collaboration between key researchers. Following the conference, Maryland Sea Grant produced a conference recap video and social media posts about the SAS2 project and conference. Since the SAS2 project began, Maryland Sea Grant Extension has delivered workforce development in managing aquaculture systems to 60 4-H students through the integration of Maryland Sea Grant’s Aquaculture in Action program. The MDSG communications team with the Extension specialist has produced six newsletters (since 2022) and several videos on aquaculture production methods. In 2023, the Extension team created a video on advancing salmon culture in recirculating Aquaculture systems. The video has been shared through the project’s network and has 719 unique views as of November. It is hosted on the UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility YouTube channel and will be posted on the project website. The SAS 2 education hub develops programming about RAS at Maryland high schools. These impacts will continue to grow throughout the grant’s five-year implementation period.

Partners: Chesapeake Conservation Landscape Council; Penn State Extension; Pennsylvania State University, College of Agricultural Sciences; University of Maryland Extension (UMD); Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VA DWR)

Relevance: To restore water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, states with rivers, streams, and creeks that drain into the Bay are required to meet pollution limits. Limits on nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment are set by the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, a cleanup effort developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. To meet TMDL, local governments encourage landscaping practices that remove pollutants from stormwater, like rain gardens, pervious paving, and green roofs. For the greatest impact, these small-scale conservation landscaping practices need to be properly designed, installed, and maintained.

Response: Maryland Sea Grant Extension partnered with the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council, Wetlands Watch, and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to develop a stormwater management certification for landscapers. Launched in 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification program established a common curriculum and testing framework that aligns with state stormwater manuals and trade association certifications. The program trains professionals in the design, installation, and maintenance of Bay friendly landscapes. Courses are now offered in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington, DC. The first Spanish-language trainings for maintenance crews and crew leaders were introduced in 2022. Maryland Sea Grant Extension watershed specialists continue to teach portions of the certification program and are taking on the role of lead trainers for the workforce development component.

Results: Since 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification program has certified 1,389 professionals in design, installation, and management of sustainable landscapes and green infrastructure and 149 individuals in advanced courses in stormwater management best practices. Participants have set up conservation landscaping, built rain gardens, constructed living shorelines, restored streams, and installed pervious paving materials, helping municipalities across the Chesapeake Bay watershed meet their Total Maximum Daily Load clean water goals. In 2024, new partnerships with EcoLatinos and Defensores de la Cuenca will expand the program’s reach.

Partners: Caroline County Department of Planning and Codes; Caroline County Department of Public Works; Envision the Choptank; Jonestown Community Development Corporation Inc; Maryland Department of Environment (MDE); Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR); Town of St. Michaels, MD; Town of Templeville; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), Sea Grant Extension

Relevance: Water quality in the Chesapeake Bay region is considered impaired by the US Environmental Protection Agency due to excessive amounts of nutrients and sediment entering tributaries. Although there has been improvement in reducing nutrient loads from the agriculture and wastewater sectors, there have been increases in loads from the septic system and urban stormwater sectors. Many local agencies and nonprofits lack the time, staff, and expertise to motivate and assist citizens in implementing stormwater management projects that contribute to the Chesapeake Bay’s clean water goals. Underserved communities often lack the resources to address stormwater flooding issues. These issues will intensify, particularly in coastal areas, with climate change.

Response: To address Maryland communities’ needs, Maryland Sea Grant Extension employs five Regional Watershed Restoration Specialists that work to extend research-based information. They assist in developing partnerships among state and local governments and organizations, identifying nonpoint-source pollution challenges, implementing on-the-ground projects that result in measurable improvements in water quality, and realizing funding opportunities to achieve these efforts. One Sea Grant Extension specialist is assigned to work in the mid- and upper-Eastern Shore counties to identify needs and provide research-based information to individuals, organizations, and local governments, as well as provide educational programs focused on helping government and watershed groups to plan, develop, implement, and monitor projects.

Results: Since 2015, as a result of community engagement in Caroline and Talbot counties, the Maryland Sea Grant Extension specialist has worked cooperatively with three communities to identify and help to resolve flooding issues impacting residences and community property. These communities share common problems like poor soils, flat topography, and dated and deteriorating infrastructure. With members and leaders of the affected community, the specialist engaged in education, watershed and stormwater site assessments, preliminary recommendations, grant writing assistance, bid development and review, and collaboration with contractors. In doing so, the specialist used Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) best practices to build trust, understand issues, and create a respectful working environment with underserved communities while working to enhance their resilience to flooding. These projects included work in Templeville to restore a pond and resolve polluted runoff issues in the surrounding park (began 2015, completed 2021) by installing two rain gardens and one bioswale, reducing erosion on 570 feet of shoreline, planting approximately 800 native plants, shrubs, and trees, and improving pond circulation. To address flooding and water quality issues in Jonestown, design is underway and will use practices such as conservation landscaping and grading, grass swales, and tree plantings (began 2021, in progress), with preference given to contractors holding Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification. In the Chester Park community in St. Michaels, to address flooding and safety issues (began 2022, in progress), the specialist coordinated a topographic survey with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to determine the condition of local drainage infrastructure in the most frequently impacted area. The specialist also worked with an engineering firm to evaluate flooding and drainage in a larger area, to better understand the need for improvements. Between 2021 and 2023, the specialist presented information about climate resilience and stormwater management to 149 stakeholders at 10 different community meetings or events.

Partners: Maryland Commission on Climate Change; Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR); University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), Sea Grant Extension

Relevance: Maryland has more than 3,000 miles of shoreline. These areas are vulnerable to sea level rise, and sea levels have been rising at an increasing rate due to global warming. Tracking sea level rise and projecting future rise is essential to preparing for conditions made worse by increasing rates of sea level rise such as flooding frequency, storm surge events, erosion, impacts on agricultural lands, and loss of property and natural areas. The Maryland Commission on Climate Change requires the state to publish updated sea level rise projections every five years. There is also a need to assist Maryland decisionmakers in incorporating relative sea level rise projections into their planning.

Response: A technical team led by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science spearheads the sea level rise projections effort. Maryland Sea Grant Extension’s coastal climate specialist is part of this effort. Following the release of Maryland’s 2018 sea level rise projections, a small team that included the coastal climate specialist and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) staff drafted a guidance document to facilitate the use of the projections in planning, regulatory, and site-specific projects to enhance resilience. Maryland Sea Grant was on the advisory review team for the document. This document walks users through a step-by-step process for selecting sea level rise estimates to use in Maryland state-funded projects. The coastal climate specialist led trainings with organizations and communities on using the guidance document.

Results: The “Guidance for Using Maryland’s 2018 Sea Level Rise Projections" document is distributed online. An accompanying worksheet assists users in selecting a sea level rise value, and is a required attachment and part of the selection criteria for resilience projects proposed via MD DNR’s Chesapeake and Coastal Service's Grants Gateway. The guidance document was recognized by the climate program director of the San Francisco Utilities Commission, who co-chairs the Sea Level Rise Grand Challenge Committee of the World Climate Research Programme. He praised its clear guidance and regular publication timetable, pressing for other states to adopt this approach. Maryland Sea Grant Extension and MD DNR offer virtual and in-person trainings on using the guidance for sea level rise projections. In 2022, they co-led three trainings for state agency staff and partner organizations, totaling 117 participants. 83% of respondents to a post-training survey indicated they intended to apply the information they learned to their work or future decisions. Maryland Sea Grant Extension also presented to community organizations, totaling 65 people, and provided two one-on-one consultations to incorporate sea level rise projections into local projects. The coastal climate specialist has again partnered with MD DNR to update the guidance document for sea level rise projections published in June 2023 and distributed by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change. “Guidance for Using Maryland's 2023 Sea Level Rise Projections” is in review as of May 2024 and will be published in 2024. In 2023, to advance broader understanding of climate change and sea level rise among nonscientists, the coastal climate specialist gave a lecture to 55 architecture students at the University of Maryland, College Park. The specialist also presented to the Watershed Stewards Academy, the Bay-Wise Program, the Maryland Sea Grant Built Environment Roundtable, the Maryland Sea Grant External Advisory Board, and students from Hood College. She convened four meetings of a regional climate adaptation partnership to promote the dissemination of information to and among rural Eastern Shore jurisdictions.

Partners: Agriculture Law Education Initiative; Johns Hopkins University (JHU); Maryland Department of Environment (MDE); Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR); Morgan State University; Salisbury University; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Horn Point Laboratory; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP); University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Relevance: Training future scientists is critical for developing a scientifically literate and diverse workforce that will investigate environmental issues, translate scientific information into forms useful to society, and help policymakers craft informed decisions.

Response: Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) supports highly competitive fellowship, internship, and graduate assistant programs. Research fellowships over the 2018-2023 period included the Maryland Sea Grant Research Fellowship, Competitive Graduate Research Fellowship, and Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Fellowship. These programs provide students the freedom to exclusively pursue their own research projects without teaching courses or doing unrelated research work. During the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, students work in the legislative or executive branch of the U.S. government in Washington, DC, for one year. The Maryland Law and Policy Fellowship, established in 2020, is a one-year legal fellowship for trained attorneys to provide legal research, writing, and educational assistance to the Agriculture Law Education Initiative and MDSG. The State Science Policy Fellowship, established in 2021, is a one-year program that places fellows in state agencies where they provide science expertise to develop policy. MDSG’s Community Engaged Internship aims to broaden participation in marine and coastal professions, particularly for students from underrepresented and indigenous communities. MDSG’s Science Management and Policy Internship and graduate assistants are paired with research, administration, or communication staff on short-term projects.

Results: From 2018-2023, Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) supported 23 research fellows and 15 research grantees. Research topics included nutrient cycling and methane production, microplastics and biofilms, oyster genetics, eDNA, living shorelines, wetland ecology, and climate resilience. MDSG’s 25 Knauss Marine Policy fellows have served with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Congress. Many have pursued PhD programs or careers in state and federal government, academia, and industry. MDSG hosted 10 state science, law, and policy fellows who have gone on to work with state and federal agencies, private consulting, and academia. A 2021 fellow serves as the Maryland Department of the Environment’s senior climate advisor. MDSG has also supported three Community Engaged interns, two Science Management and Policy interns, and five graduate assistants. MDSG fellows write blog posts describing their scientific and professional growth. Since 2018, MDSG edited and published 60-plus student blog posts and highlighted fellows’ contributions in impact statements about their projects.

Partners: Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF); Universidad Ana G. Méndez; Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Ricondez; University of Guam (UG); University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; University of the Virgin Islands

Relevance: A larger, more diverse scientific workforce is needed to address the impacts of climate change. However, in 2021, universities in the United States awarded just 7,400 bachelor’s degrees in environmental science. Marginalized and underrepresented groups hold disproportionately fewer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and jobs when compared with their percentages in the US population, particularly in the geosciences. Students from US territory islands have the potential to close that gap, especially if they have access to place-based and culturally relevant research experiences, mentoring, and professional development.

Response: In 2016, Maryland Sea Grant partnered with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Puerto Rico’s Universidad Ana G. Mendez to launch Centro Tropical Oceanography Research Training for Undergraduate Academics (Centro TORTUGA). In 2019, with a $10 million, eight-institution grant from the National Science Foundation, the program expanded to include students in Guam and the US Virgin Islands and became the Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (SEAS) Islands Alliance. The alliance engages undergraduate and graduate students and workforce fellows — many from historically underrepresented communities — in marine and environmental science. In addition to supporting Puerto Rico programming, Maryland Sea Grant also supports communication and outreach for the alliance, manages the program’s website and social media channels, and introduces students to science communication through workshops and internships.

Results: More than 290 students from Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have participated in the SEAS Islands Alliance. From its start in 2019 through spring 2023, the alliance has enrolled 189 precollege students, 97 undergraduates, 24 bridge to PhD students, 8 graduate students, and 12 workforce fellows. Some students have participated in more than one program. Many have presented at professional conferences, including Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) meetings. Maryland Sea Grant’s communications team has mentored five interns and held science communication workshops for more than 50 students. Surveys sent to former alliance participants in 2022 and 2023 received 109 responses. 89% of respondents reported they were still engaged in STEM pathways and 83% were still involved in marine science, demonstrating the program’s contribution to the US national goal to recruit and retain students and increase diversity in the STEM workforce.

Partners: University of Maryland College Park (UMCP)

Relevance: Providing undergraduate students with hands-on research experiences helps to prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students often need financial support for the costs associated with conducting research projects, such as field and laboratory supplies, fees for sample analysis and technical services, and travel expenses.

Response: The University of Maryland’s Gemstone Honors Program is a four-year research program for undergraduate honors students. The program helps prepare students for higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. About 61% of Gemstone scholars are employed upon graduation and 39% attend graduate or professional school. Guided by staff, teams of students design, direct, and conduct research. Maryland Sea Grant provides funding to the Gemstone program for research projects related to the Chesapeake Bay and watershed restoration. Student research teams supported by Maryland Sea Grant are studying microplastics, fungal polysaccharides and biofilms, batteries and charging mechanisms for electric vehicles, solar panel recycling, and low-cost natural disaster rescue robots. Past teams have studied oysters, wetlands, septic systems, invasive fish, and coastal habitats.

Results: In the last 12 years of the program, Maryland Sea Grant funds (ca. $100,000 since 2008) have directly supported more than 235 students by covering the costs of research supplies, physical sample analysis, technical contract services, and travel. Of those students, 176 earned their degrees and 141 attained a job within two years of graduating. About 50 students are still enrolled in the program. New freshman research teams supported by Maryland Sea Grant are studying alternative propellors for maritime shipping, tidal turbine design, ways to limit the spread of invasive lionfish, and applications for autonomous boats.

Partners: Agriculture Law Education Initiative; Maryland Department of Environment (MDE); Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)

Relevance: Providing opportunities to gain experience at the interface of science, law, policy, and regulatory matters develops scientifically literate professionals who can navigate legal questions in environmental areas like aquaculture, land use policy, and sea level rise resilience. Having legal expertise on the Maryland Sea Grant team provides a valuable opportunity for its staff and Extension specialists to better integrate science and law to advance coastal and marine policymaking, particularly in issues important to Marylanders.

Response: In 2020, Maryland Sea Grant partnered with the University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) to offer a law and policy fellowship for recent JD (or equivalent) graduates interested in pursuing a career in the areas of public policy, marine or coastal environment law, or natural resource management. The opportunity provides one year of financial support for the legal fellow, along with professional development, outreach, and research opportunities. The fellow works under the direction of the ALEI legal specialist located at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a Historically Black University. The fellow collaborates with Maryland Sea Grant Extension and state agencies, such as the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of the Environment, to develop accessible legal resources for audiences important to Maryland Sea Grant’s mission. The fellow joins the Maryland Sea Grant State Science Policy Fellows cohort for professional development, monthly meetings, and other activities. Maryland Sea Grant and ALEI are committed to expanding diversity in the field of environmental law and policy through this opportunity.

Results: Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) has supported three law and policy fellows since the program launched in 2020. The fellows have delved into legal research projects focused on coastal climate resilience and aquaculture law and policy. The first fellow (2020-2021) published an article in the Sea Grant Law & Policy Journal related to commercial shellfish aquaculture leases, developed an online training program and fact sheet about how to transfer a commercial shellfish aquaculture lease in Maryland, published a blog about MDSG’s National Science Foundation-funded Coastal Farming Challenges workshop, and worked on a guide for navigating the state and federal permitting processes for nature-based projects in Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas. One fellow has gone on to work at the Environmental Law Institute and the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The second fellow (2022-2023) conducted legal research into the challenges of selecting sites for Atlantic salmon recirculating aquaculture systems, resulting in a law review article that has been accepted for an American Bar Association publication and will be published in 2024. The fellow also researched coastal resiliency and sea level rise in Maryland, assisted in hosting several coastal resilience workshops, and published a blog about these experiences. This fellow is currently an SJD candidate at Georgetown University Law Center and a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law Early Career Specialist Group. The third law and policy fellow (2023-2024) is completing a nature-based solutions permitting project, is collaborating with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to clarify and streamline aquaculture lease permitting processes, and has successfully written a funded proposal to collaborate with Georgetown Law and the Environmental Law Institute on a symposium focusing on coastal resiliency law issues in 2025.

Partners: National Marine Educators Association; University of Maryland Extension (UMD)

Relevance: The National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) advances the public’s understanding and protection of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Its 700+ members are classroom teachers, informal educators, university professors, scientists, and others from the United States and other countries. The association, formed in 1976, holds an annual conference and supports 15 regional chapters that pursue educational and conservation programs. NMEA has supported the development of Ocean Literacy Principles, an educational framework that is the hub for ocean literacy in the United States. The association has also worked to integrate ocean science concepts into state and national educational standards for primary and secondary schools.

Response: In 2014, Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) took over management of NMEA’s national office. For 10 years, two MDSG staff members supported NMEA by managing membership, planning conferences, hosting meetings, and implementing improvements in administering the organization. MDSG’s assistant director for education oversaw the office and MDSG’s personnel and travel coordinator adopted the role of NMEA’s office manager and membership coordinator. Both took on these duties on top of existing workloads. MDSG Extension Specialist Jackie Takacs, part of University of Maryland Extension, served on NMEA’s board as treasurer. She worked closely with MDSG staff on NMEA projects beginning in 2015. This team worked closely with NMEA’s leadership and board to coordinate a variety of national office activities, including annual conferences and meetings.

Results: In the 10 years that NMEA’s national office was hosted by MDSG, NMEA has transitioned from largely paper-based processes to digital capabilities such as an improved website presence, use of management membership software, organization-wide online calendar use, digital distribution of information, and a dedicated social media presence. The shifts improved efficiency, accessibility, and communications for NMEA leadership and members. MDSG also provided technology support as these transitions occurred. These improvements helped to increase membership from around 500-600 members before MDSG led the office to a steady annual membership of around 650 that increases to about 800 members as the annual conference approaches. MDSG hosted nine annual executive meetings at their College Park offices, reducing cost and effort for NMEA, and participated in the planning and logistics of nine annual member conferences, which gathered 300-350 people each year. As MDSG’s time as national office host ended, MDSG inventoried and prepared materials to smoothly transition NMEA to its future home, documented national host duties, developed procedures and guides for using the membership management platform and other software, and organized physical property and documents.

Partners: American University; Baltimore Polytechnic Institute high school; Carroll County Public Schools; Georgetown University; Gothenburg University, Sweden; Maryland Science Center; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology; University of Maryland College Park (UMCP)

Relevance: Hands-on science lessons can help engage students, teach research skills, improve environmental literacy, and spark interest in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Research shows that project-based learning can improve student outcomes across socioeconomic backgrounds and even increase teacher retention. However, educators do not always have access to the funding, resources, and training needed to offer students project-based learning opportunities that meet Next Generation Science Standards.

Response: Maryland Sea Grant provides project-based learning opportunities for high school students using biofilms—communities of microorganisms that attach to a surface. Circular metal discs are suspended in the water of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for biofilm colonization. The discs are then collected and delivered to classrooms. Using Next Generation Science Standard-aligned lesson plans, students study the communities under microscopes and learn to calculate measures of biodiversity. The program first launched in 1997. In 2017, it was expanded to include lessons on plastic pollution based on research at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology and American University and using microplastics found on the discs. Maryland Sea Grant leads professional development—through workshops, lesson-plan writing, and equipment training—giving educators the tools, knowledge, and resources to lead these hands-on investigations with students in their classrooms.

Results: Since 1997, Maryland Sea Grant has engaged hundreds of educators and thousands of students in Biofilms and Biodiversity. From 2018 through 2023, more than 1,200 high school students studied biofilm discs in their classrooms. About 150 formal and nonformal educators, including teachers and administrators, took part in related professional development. In 2023, Maryland Sea Grant launched a pilot biofilms program with the Maryland Science Center for 50 middle school students. Maryland Sea Grant educators and partners published two papers on their methods in The American Biology Teacher and Heliyon, in 2022 and 2023, respectively. They have worked with international partners to develop similar curriculum in Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Norway.