Maryland Sea Grant

Back to school means back to Aquaculture in Action! 🎒🐟

We’re excited to welcome Maryland students back to hands-on science learning. Through Aquaculture in Action, classrooms transform into living labs where students raise fish, monitor water quality, and learn to conduct hands-on research.

Educators: Ready to make the most of your recirculating aquaculture system this school year? We’ve just updated our teacher manual with step-by-step guidance, classroom activities, troubleshooting tips, and more!

📖 Grab the updated guide here: https://loom.ly/gO9rSUg

Water isn't just found above ground but also under the Earth's surface, in the cracks and spaces between particles of soil, sand, and rock. Groundwater can flow through springs into our rivers, streams, and lakes. US Geological Survey scientists have found that, in an average year, about 27 billion gallons of streamflow entering the Chesapeake Bay comes from groundwater.

Learn more about groundwater and the Bay in our Chesapeake Quarterly archives >> https://loom.ly/XVIxcJg

Groundwater and the Chesapeake Bay Half of the U.S. population taps into groundwater for their drinking water. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the same source that sustains us also faces threats – from farm runoff, wastewater plants, intruding saltwater, and even the air. This first online-only issue covers the ground on groundwat...

Blue catfish are an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay, but putting them on the menu can help. 🐟 Across Maryland, dining halls, school cafeterias, and food pantries are serving this nutritious, local fish to support communities and the Bay.

For National Catfish Month, learn how these large-scale efforts are turning an environmental challenge into a delicious solution. Visit our Chesapeake Quarterly archives:

Mouths to Feed Blue Catfish Fill the Bellies of Maryland’s Students, Hungry Families

"I’m certain anyone within a 6-foot radius could hear my squeals of excitement at seeing the slug and other creatures in this miniature city," says intern Christina Long.

Christina spent the summer studying the biodiversity of tiny aquatic organisms in the Baltimore Harbor. Read more in her latest blog post >> https://loom.ly/IZfUBSk

Celebrating on the Bay! Built in 1827, the Concord Point Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Maryland accessible to the public and the northernmost lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.

The Concord Point Lighthouse is located in Havre de Grace near the mouth of the Susquehanna River. Its fifth-order Fresnel lens helped guide sailors until the light was decommissioned in 1975. The lighthouse is open to the public on weekends from April to October, weather permitting.

Congrats to our Career Lab students for finishing the summer strong! Career Lab: Sustainable Food Systems is a five-week program introducing Baltimore City high school students to aquaculture and sustainable food production. From classrooms and research labs to sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, students explore real-world STEM while building career skills.

This program is made possible through a partnership between Maryland Sea Grant, Fishnet, and Baltimore City YouthWorks.

Donate to support future Career Lab students: https://loom.ly/H02uxCU

Oysters Rockefeller may sound fancy, but it's an easy and delicious dish to make at home. Celebrate National Oyster Day with our recipe video! The Oysters Rockefeller recipe was created in 19th century New Orleans during an escargot shortage. Oysters on the half shell are heaped with a buttery herb-breadcrumb mixture, baked, and often topped with a squeeze of lemon. Try for yourself at loom.ly/eL0_S0Q.

🦪 Shuck At Home - Episode 3: Oysters Rockefeller Learn how to prepare Oysters Rockefeller with Brendan Campbell, a g...

Please join us in congratulating Maryland Sea Grant Director Fredrika Moser on her retirement. Moser concludes 25 years of service to Maryland Sea Grant and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in July 2026.

Read our interview with Moser, where she reflects on a career dedicated to science and public service >> https://loom.ly/IIpwjRw

A Farewell Conversation with Director Fredrika Moser Maryland Sea Grant’s Director Fredrika Moser, PhD, concludes 25 years of service to Maryland Sea Grant and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in July 2026.

Native to the Chesapeake, common milkweed is a food source for over 450 insects, including butterflies, moths, bees and wasps! Milkweed sap contains toxic compounds called cardenolides, or cardiac glycosides. But some species, like the monarch butterfly, are immune to the poisonous plant. Learn more about milkweed from the Chesapeake Bay Program >> https://loom.ly/p9vtCH8

Native to the Chesapeake, common milkweed is a food source for over 450 insects Insects use the unpalatable compounds in milkweed plants to ensure their survival.