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mdseagrant.bsky.social
Maryland Sea Grant
@mdseagrant.bsky.social
We’re a partnership with NOAA and administered by UMCES, funding #research, #education, & #outreach throughout the state of #Maryland. RTs ≠ endorsements.

Website: mdsg.umd.edu

Chesapeake Quarterly magazine: chesapeakequarterly.net
Does your water come from a well? Join Extension specialist Andy Lazur for a free webinar Nov. 19 at noon! He'll share info on well design, wellhead protection measures, water quality testing, and basic water filtration. Register here: https://loom.ly/bDsMbyc
📸: US EPA
November 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Experience is the best teacher, in life and in the classroom. MDSG develops hands-on projects to teach science to Maryland students. In Biofilms and Biodiversity, students examine organisms like this barnacle growing on aluminum discs suspended in local waters.

#NationalSTEMDay
#STEMSTEAMDay
November 8, 2025 at 5:16 PM
University of Maryland Extension seeks a Regional Watershed Specialist to lead outreach efforts that improve water quality across Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. They will provide community-based programs, technical assistance, and applied research. Master’s or PhD required: https://loom.ly/7x9rqtk
November 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Regenerative Agriculture, a whole-farm approach that aims to restore ecological balance, has its origins in Indigenous farming and stewardship. Conversations will explore stewardship, regenerative agricultural, and environmental legal frameworks informed by Traditional Knowledge.
November 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Join us Nov. 19 for the next Relational Stewardship Speaker Series—Regenerative Agriculture & Traditional Land Stewardship. Explore how Traditional Knowledge and modern science can work together, while honoring Indigenous communities who shaped and sustain these practices: https://loom.ly/QVTp25I
November 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Mud crabs are #ChesapeakeBay natives. Loxo infects these small scavengers with a sac-like growth filled with thousands of eggs. The crabs lose their ability to reproduce, and are tricked into caring for the parasite's larvae.
📸: Will Parson/Chesapeake BayPProgram
October 31, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This trick’s no treat—it turns crabs into zombies! 🦀🧟 This is no horror movie script; it's the real-life story of the invasive barnacle Loxothylacus panopaei ("Loxo") infecting white-fingered mud crabs and turning them into caretakers for its own larvae. The result: so-called "zombie crabs."
October 31, 2025 at 4:11 PM
In a world of pocket-sized cameras and AI-generated images, scientific illustration still plays a vital role in showing the tiny details and complex processes that a photo alone can’t capture. Find out how intern Talia Mastalski uses art to bring science to life: https://loom.ly/G_k_L88
October 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon conference recently brought 80 #aquaculture researchers, educators, and professionals to Baltimore. Participants are working on new technologies and methods to develop land-based #salmon aquaculture. Read more: https://loom.ly/R5WH1Ow
October 29, 2025 at 2:09 PM
#BlueCatfish are invasive in the #ChesapeakeBay and will eat almost anything. Fortunately, this bounty of blues has led to a new fishery & they're showing up on menus more often. Every bite helps protect native species like rockfish and blue crabs. Learn more: https://loom.ly/9A7BEu8
#SeafoodMonth
October 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Happy #BatWeek! 🦇 The eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is the #ChesapeakeBay watershed's most common tree bat! These small, solitary bats are most active at dusk and feed on moths and other insects. Learn more about them ➡️ https://loom.ly/SZ4mVUo
📸: Anita Gould/USGS
October 27, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Oyster growers, meet Yumeng Pang—oyster aquaculture outreach specialist and manager of Horn Point Laboratory's Oyster Demonstration Farm. Need guidance on #oyster growth, biofouling, or gear and equipment use? Contact Yumeng at ypang@umces.edu for help!
#SeafoodMonth #OysterAquaculture
October 23, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Maryland Sea Grant Extension specialists were there to share how they can help people use scientific research to navigate local environmental challenges—and @UMdExtension unveiled a brand-new native plant guide for the Piedmont region!
October 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Watershed stewards and community members gathered this week for the H2O Summit in Montgomery County, hosted by My Green Montgomery. 🌿 Experts shared insights on stormwater runoff, flooding, water quality, native plants, and how to build meaningful community partnerships.
October 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Happy #ReptileAwarenessDay! 🐢 Eastern box #turtles rare familiar reptiles in the #ChesapeakeBay watershed. They thrive in forests, meadows, and wetland edges. Unfortunately, many are injured or killed each year while crossing roads. Learn how you can help: https://loom.ly/q7AlOro
October 21, 2025 at 2:28 PM
US seafood consumers love salmon, but 95% of the country's salmon supply is imported from other countries. The Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon project is developing land-based salmon production in the US. Learn more at salmononland.org. 📸: Melissa Penley Cormier/UMBC
October 20, 2025 at 3:24 PM
On the anniversary of the #CleanWaterAct, a landmark law that's shaped US water protection for 50+ years, we're sharing a story from law and policy fellow Kai Hardy on how a spark in the Cuyahoga River helped ignite the clean water movement: https://loom.ly/i0ubfFw
📸: Cleveland Public Library
October 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Is any animal more iconic to the #ChesapeakeBay than the blue crab? 🦀 Since 1990, Maryland and Virginia have monitored blue crab populations through the annual Winter Dredge Survey. 2025 results estimate 238 million crabs in the Bay, down from 317 million last year.
October 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
At the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory, 16 acres of the Choptank River are a living lab for aquaculture research. On this Oyster Demonstration Farm, researchers and extension specialists experiment with gear and methods, working with oyster growers to advance aquaculture.
#SeafoodMonth
October 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Curious about septic systems? Join MOWPA and University of Maryland Extension for a free open house at the new Onsite Wastewater Treatment Demonstration Facility.
📆 Oct. 14, 11am-2 pm
📍 4240 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City, MD
🎟️ Register: https://loom.ly/4nkeReQ
October 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Don't miss the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory Open House this Saturday, Oct. 11! Explore marine science and research happening across the #ChesapeakeBay. This free, family-friendly event includes an oyster hatchery tour, science activities, kids' crafts, and food vendors. More: https://loom.ly/-hV8gPo
October 9, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New to a septic system? Join Extension specialist Andy Lazur for a free #webinar next week! He'll go over the basics and share what you need to know to maintain the health of your #SepticSystem.

📆 Oct. 15, 2025
🕐 12 p.m. EST
👉 Register here: https://loom.ly/bDsMbyc
October 8, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Try something new this #NatlTacoDay—Chesapeake Blue Catfish Tacos! #BlueCatfish are invasive in the #ChesapeakeBay. These tacos are a perfect balance of flavors, and a delicious way to turn an ecological challenge into a culinary win. 👉 Get the recipe: https://arcg.is/1X9bHv
#SeafoodMonth
October 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Oyster farmers had a big haul in 2024. 🦪 Maryland's oyster aquaculture industry harvested more than 81,000 bushels of #oysters last year. Learn more about #Maryland's oyster aquaculture trends in University of Maryland Extension's online tool: https://loom.ly/STV0y1I
#SeafoodMonth
October 6, 2025 at 4:38 PM
As an aspiring scientist, Sabine Malik has seen her work evolve to include aspects of pure and applied #science—and she's grown to appreciate them both. 🔬🐟 Find out more about our graduate #research fellow's science journey in her latest blog post: https://loom.ly/mhPZ56o
October 3, 2025 at 3:34 PM