Publications

In January of 2005, the Chesapeake Executive Council issued Directive 04-1 in response to the recommendations set forth by the Blue Ribbon Panel. That directive instructed the Principals Staff Committee "to convene a Committee of federal, state, and regional finanace and legal experts to provide a specific proposal" for a regional finanacing authority that would help finanace and implement programs to restor and protect water quality throughout the Chesapeake watershed. This report of the committee of experts outlines the conceptual framework for a Chesapeake Bay Regional Fianacing authority.

The goal of the 1994 Oyster Fishery Management Plan is: Enhance the production of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem by restoring habitat, controlling fishing mortality, promoting aquaculture and continuing the repletion programs.

The 1994 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Management Plan was developed as a revision of the 1989 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Management Plan under the direction of the Fisheries Management Plan Workgroup. Staff from the Maryland Department of Natural Resosurces (MDBR), Tidewater Adminisstration, Fisheries Division were responsible for writing the plan and addressing comments on the draft versions. Support was provided by staff from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). A Chesapeake Bay Oyster Fishery Management Plan was developed in 1989 as one of the strategies for implementing the Living Resources Commitments of the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement.

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The goal of the Chesapeake Bay American Eel Management Plan is to manage the American eel harvest in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries so that harvest does not exceed the reproductive capacity of the population to maintain its size from year to year. With this goal, optimum biolobical, economic, and social benefits will be attained. In order tokeet this goal, a number of objectives must be met. These objectives are incorporated into the problem areas and management strategies discussed in this report.

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With the direct assistance of the Alliance of Chesapeake Bay, the Chesapeake Bay Program's Toxics Subcommittee sponsored a series of stakeholder roundtables to solicit active public participation in the strategy development. Roundtables were held in Pennsylvania on June 7, in Maryland on June8, and in the District of Columbia on June 14, 1994. Stakeholders representing businesses, agricultural community, public interest groups, and local, regional, state, and federal government agencies, were invited to participate (Apprendix A). Each roundtable was structured to inform targeted stakeholders iin each jurisdiction on the most recent findings regarding the effects of chemical cotaminants on the Chesapeake Bay system and the wide range of reduction and precention management actions beieng directed towards chemical contaminants during a morning session. In addition, facilitated break-out groups provided an open forum for seeking comments on and recommendations for changes to a set of draft revised strategy objectives and commitments.

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Our goal is a Chesapeake Bay free toxics by reducing or eliminating the inputof chemical contaminants from all controllable sources to levels that result in no toxic or bioaccumulative impact on the living resources that inhabit the Bay or human health. Map major oource sectors of chemical contaminants (point and non-point sources, including air sources) with the potential to impact Regions of Concern or Areas of Emphasis and set goals to eliminatedimpacts. Industry will actively participate in the source sector analysis and develop pollution prevention plans to reduce releases.

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We have scored significant gains in our common effort to sustain the productivity and safeguard the future of the Chesapeake Bay. Under the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement, literally hundreds of tasks have been initiated to fulfill its bold promise to restore and protect his treasured estuary. Many of initial cooperative strategies envisioned by the Bay Agreement have in fact been developed. Our main challenge today is to focus our collective energies on the implementation of those strategies and on the elements critical to our future success.

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Thousands of miles of fish spawning habitat on Chesapeake Bay tributaries are currently blocked by dams, culverts and other obstructions. Restorating and protecting the Bay's vital fishery resources are integral components of the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement. Working toward this restoration goal, the signatories of the Agreement have supported a commitment by the States and Federal government to: Providefor fish passage at dams, and to remove stream blockages wherever necssary to restore passage for migratory fishes.

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One of the strategies for implementing the Living Resources Commitments of the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement is to develop and adopt a series of baywide fishery management plans (FMPs)for commercially, recreationally, and selected ecologically valuable species. The FMPs are to be implements by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Virginia, District of Columbia, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, and State of Maryland as appropriate. Under a timetable adopted for completing management plans for several important species, the bluefish FMP was scheduled for completion in December 1990.

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One of the strategies for implementing the Living Resources Commitments of the 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement is to develop and adopt a series of baywide fishery management plans (FMPs) for commercially, recreationally, and selected ecologically valuable species. The FMPs are to be implemented by the Commonwealthof Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Virginia, District of Columbia, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, and State of Maryland as appropriate. Under a timetable adopted for completing management plans for several important species, the Atlantic Croaker and Spot FMP was scheduled for completion in December 1991.

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