Over Crabbed, Over Fished and Over Hunted

[3CATSAILOR]

According to research from William & Mary, the osprey population in the Chesapeake Bay is declining due to a lack of menhaden. Menhaden are a key food source for ospreys, and the species prefer them because they school on the surface, making them easy to catch. However, some say that the menhaden population in Mobjack Bay and the Chesapeake Bay as a whole is not enough to support the osprey population.

It sounds like the Ospreys which are migratory birds may be in trouble. They like menhaden. However, I haven't seen any in the Bay for quite some time. The Ospreys suffer as a result of very little food to eat. Therefore, their young may die of starvation. Folks have told me that quite a few nesting platforms remain empty. This is not a good sign.

In addition, I noticed there is a significant reduction of ducks that we used to have in the Bay by now. We used to have quite few Mallards and other ducks. Now, it is hardly any. Perhaps it is still early for them and they haven't migrated yet. But, it is almost June. I think hardly any is it for this year. And probably the years to come as well.

We used to have crabs hanging from piers. Not anymore. We used to have schools of fish all over the Bay. Not anymore. We used to have plenty of ducks. Not anymore. I wonder what our wonderful elected officals are doing to help the situation?

 

[SamSpade]

I wonder what our wonderful elected officals are doing to help the situation?

Figuring out who to blame.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Figuring out who to blame.

Non-English speaking persons who don't understand size/creel limits is a contributing factor. If they catch it, they keep it. Invasive species, unfettered commercial fishing of bait fish, state mismanagement of "trophy fish", crooked waterman "just trying to make a living", eutrophication caused by private and commercial handling of wastewater eg. waterfront land owners draining washing machines into back creeks and storm overflow at outdated wastewater treatment plants, the list goes on and on. You see a lot when you spend as much time as I do on the tributaries observing.

Private landowners with 3 crabpots should be way down on the list of DNRs worries...

If you disrupt the food chain, it doesn't adapt, it gets destroyed.

 

[Kyle]

Figuring out who to blame.

Or how they can tax it.

 

[Gilligan]

Here on the island, we're overrun with ospreys AND bald eagles, our mallards are back like they are every year, to nest, and the crabs are plentiful, hopefully as crazy plentiful as they were last year.

 

[RoseRed]

I'M JUST SURPRISED THIS WASN'T TYPED IN ALL CAPS.

 

[Kyle]

I'M JUST SURPRISED THIS WASN'T TYPED IN ALL CAPS.

The keyboard must be a little hoarse this morning.

 

[SamSpade]

Non-English speaking persons who don't understand size/creel limits is a contributing factor.

THIS I don't doubt, although I can't see it as a huge factor. Some places when I used to fish, a family would arrive - they would keep EVERY FISH CAUGHT, clean and gut them all and fry them up on a large skillet or wok right there on the riverside.

When the fish were things like bluegill or catfish or crappie, no one cared.

 

[vraiblonde]

Figuring out who to blame.

Spoiler: Spoiler

It will be a Republican

 

[PrchJrkr]

Here on the island, we're overrun with ospreys AND bald eagles, our mallards are back like they are every year, to nest, and the crabs are plentiful, hopefully as crazy plentiful as they were last year.

You've done it now! Brush up on your Mandarin. I heard it tastes just like chicken!

 

[SamSpade]

Spoiler: Spoiler

It will be a Republican

It's just always my observation that ELECTED OFFICIALS don't give a rat's ass about SOLVING problems - they look for scapegoats to help themselves politically.

If they come up with ANYTHING - it's to get money or to carve out time and money - to study and talk about it.

And if it happens on their watch, they will bitch and moan and say it was that way when they took office and it's not their fault - it's climate change.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

According to research from William & Mary, the osprey population in the Chesapeake Bay is declining due to a lack of menhaden. Menhaden are a key food source for ospreys, and the species prefer them because they school on the surface, making them easy to catch. However, some say that the menhaden population in Mobjack Bay and the Chesapeake Bay as a whole is not enough to support the osprey population.

It sounds like the Ospreys which are migratory birds may be in trouble. They like menhaden. However, I haven't seen any in the Bay for quite some time. The Ospreys suffer as a result of very little food to eat. Therefore, their young may die of starvation. Folks have told me that quite a few nesting platforms remain empty. This is not a good sign.

In addition, I noticed there is a significant reduction of ducks that we used to have in the Bay by now. We used to have quite few Mallards and other ducks. Now, it is hardly any. Perhaps it is still early for them and they haven't migrated yet. But, it is almost June. I think hardly any is it for this year. And probably the years to come as well.

We used to have crabs hanging from piers. Not anymore. We used to have schools of fish all over the Bay. Not anymore. We used to have plenty of ducks. Not anymore. I wonder what our wonderful elected officals are doing to help the situation?

Look in the mirror.

New Research Shows Atlantic Flyway Mallards Actually Might Not Be In Trouble. Was the Bag Limit Reduction Unnecessary?

In 2019, the USFWS cut mallard limits from four to two birds per day in the Atlantic Flyway. Here's a look at the status of eastern mallards.

www.outdoorlife.com

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/AF-Mallard-web-brochure.pdf

Shoreline Hardening and Development Hurts Shorebirds and Waterfowl

A new NCCOS-sponsored study shows that using artificial structures to protect coastal land and property from the sea can harm water birds. The research, conducted in Chesapeake Bay and published in Estuaries and Coasts, found that “armoring” shoreline with barriers such as seawalls or riprap...

coastalscience.noaa.gov

I'll be back later.

 

[vraiblonde]

It's just always my observation that ELECTED OFFICIALS don't give a rat's ass about SOLVING problems - they look for scapegoats to help themselves politically.

If they come up with ANYTHING - it's to get money or to carve out time and money - to study and talk about it.

And if it happens on their watch, they will bitch and moan and say it was that way when they took office and it's not their fault - it's climate change.

Elected officials generally don't know *how* to solve problems, and most don't even understand the problems. They were elected because they were charming and charismatic, not because they are effective leaders or intelligent. And when a leader who *does* understand the problem and *does* have a plan to fix it comes along, their dummy colleagues attack and belittle them just like bullies in a schoolyard. "Haw haw! Look at the nerd! Let's get 'im!"

Also elected officials always feel the need to "do something™ " to make it look like they're "fighting for you™ " . And since they don't understand the problem, let alone know enough to fix it or when to leave it alone because it's not really a problem at all, they invariably make things worse.

 

[Kyle]

Which is why the nation always benefits when congress does NOTHING.

 

[Gilligan]

Look in the mirror.

New Research Shows Atlantic Flyway Mallards Actually Might Not Be In Trouble. Was the Bag Limit Reduction Unnecessary?

In 2019, the USFWS cut mallard limits from four to two birds per day in the Atlantic Flyway. Here's a look at the status of eastern mallards.

www.outdoorlife.com

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/AF-Mallard-web-brochure.pdf

Shoreline Hardening and Development Hurts Shorebirds and Waterfowl

A new NCCOS-sponsored study shows that using artificial structures to protect coastal land and property from the sea can harm water birds. The research, conducted in Chesapeake Bay and published in Estuaries and Coasts, found that “armoring” shoreline with barriers such as seawalls or riprap...

coastalscience.noaa.gov

I'll be back later.

These days it's getting to be increasingly difficult to get approval for shoreline erosion control projects that do not fully conform to the Living Shoreline design features established (and continually being revised and extended) by DNR/MDE/COE. A good thing, environmentally speaking, but can be astronomically more expensive than traditional armoring methods. I have two 500' shorelines to deal with but one isn't exposed at all and the other is stabilized in accordance with Living Shoreline design guidelines. That works OK, but does require periodic maintenance and repair after particularly bad storms hit.

The recently-completed 1.2m$ Living Shoreline project on St. Catherine's Island (7D) was doing great at first, but a storm last year hit it particularly hard and we lost a lot of the sand that had been brought in by barges and put there. ;-(

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

These days it's getting to be increasingly difficult to get approval for shoreline erosion control projects that do not fully conform to the Living Shoreline design features established (and continually being revised and extended) by DNR/MDE/COE. A good thing, environmentally speaking, but can be astronomically more expensive than traditional armoring methods. I have two 500' shorelines to deal with but one isn't exposed at all and the other is stabilized in accordance with Living Shoreline design guidelines. That works OK, but does require periodic maintenance and repair after particularly bad storms hit.

The recently-completed 1.2m$ Living Shoreline project on St. Catherine's Island (7D) was doing great at first, but a storm last year hit it particularly hard and we lost a lot of the sand that had been brought in by barges and put there. ;-(

You're correct. DNR/MDE/COE have gotten away from armoring and went to Living Shorelines but they still waive 80% of the applications to allow rip rap.
Doing the LS is more expensive, by a lot, and people (meaning those not really impacted by one except it will preserve their adjacent properties) will bitch, moan and file lawsuits to stop them (ask me how I know).

 

[Gilligan]

You're correct. DNR/MDE/COE have gotten away from armoring and went to Living Shorelines but they still waive 80% of the applications to allow rip rap.
Doing the LS is more expensive, by a lot, and people (meaning those not really impacted by one except it will preserve their adjacent properties) will bitch, moan and file lawsuits to stop them (ask me how I know).

I didn't see the final outcome of the recent legislation that was on the table to severely restrict the waiver of Living Shoreline requirements. And 80% waivered??..where did that statistic come from? It certainly isn't evident where I'm living...

 

[SamSpade]

And when a leader who *does* understand the problem and *does* have a plan to fix it comes along,

Then it is almost certainly not politically expedient to their colleagues, who will clutch their pearls and say how dare you!

 

[Kyle]

 

[Sneakers]

Non-English speaking persons who don't understand size/creel limits is a contributing factor. If they catch it, they keep it.

This is not something new or recent. When I was a teen, the eastern end of Long Island would be invaded by non-English "fishermen", and same thing, took everything they could. They would trespass on private land, build fires where none were permitted, and even bring the entire fam damily on the outing for an entire weekend. They'd always arrive to a clean beach because we always picked up all of the crap they left behind. And they totally understood they were trespassing, catching illegally, littering, etc.... . They just didn't care. They would be confronted by the locals, and move a few feet down the beach and continue. Police wouldn't enforce any laws. Very frustrating.

More recently, and I might have mentioned this a while ago, there was a makeshift camp set up on the water deep in the woods at Myrtle Point Park. The place was a mess, charcoal fires burning unattended in the middle of the woods... Park security didn't even know they were there. I believe they were eventually evicted and the area cleaned up, but I haven't been back there in a long while.