The Blue Crab is an important icon and cultural representation for those in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. However, their population is declining due to harvesting pressures and various forms of pollution. Watch this video to learn more!
Oyster Population Decline
Oysters are an iconic species of the Chesapeake Bay region, however, their population has been declining. Learn more about the oyster population and oyster decline in the video below!
Oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay
Complete Policy Recommendations
We invite you to browse through our complete policy recommendations for the Chesapeake Bay.
Policy Recommendation Summary
From analyzing the state of the Chesapeake Bay and going over current management policies, we have come up with a few policy recommendations that we believe should be implemented:
- Development Checklist
- Smart Growth
- Gravel or Pavers
- Plant and Rain Buffers
- Tax Incentives for stormwater management
- increased regulation on agricultural farming, specifically chickens
- Continued oyster restoration
- Emphasis on science, research, and technology
Commodifying Beauty
Money makes the world go round. That’s a harsh statement, and people may not want to admit it, but to a certain extent, this statement is true. Money is one of the greatest motivators. In the Chesapeake Bay, some question the ability to place a monetary value on something that is a natural resource. After all, how do you quantify beauty? Placing a monetary value on the Bay and its resources may lead to commodification, but that may be a risk that some are willing to take to save it.
Economy of the Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is an important cultural location for the six states it covers, especially Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The whole Chesapeake Bay system is strongly interconnected and provides a great economic benefit to the region. When looking at the Bay, one may only think of the fishing industry, but the watershed provides for the tourism industry, real estate industry, shipping industry, boating industry, forestry industry, and more. All these industries combined allow for the Chesapeake Bay to be valued at approximately 1 trillion dollars!
