Fall 2024
Panel Discusses New Vision for Bay Restoration
Chesapeake Bay restoration sits at a critical crossroads, providing an opportunity for the public to join elected and environmental leaders to discuss what a future healthy Bay should look like.
The Chesapeake Bay Agreement, the backbone for Bay restoration, is nearing 2025 deadlines. Despite some major wins for the Bay—including the largest oyster reef restoration project in the world, improved public access, and dramatic reductions of pollution from sewage treatment plants—many of the 2025 goals won’t be met. An August 14 panel hosted at CBF’s Brock Environmental Center, moderated by CBF Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford, celebrated the progress of Virginia’s rebounding rivers and streams. But it also reimagined how the next Bay Agreement can improve future restoration and conservation work along with the communities that are tied to the Bay.
Much of the discussion focused on outcomes that will improve the lives of people and wildlife in the watershed, including creating a future where more rivers and streams will become fishable and swimmable. The panel agreed that new goals must be set before the end of 2025, informed by the latest science, lessons learned, and with input from partners and community members.
Support Grows for Precautionary Approach to Virginia Blue Crab Management
In June, Virginia state regulators lifted an important protection for the blue crab when they narrowly approved removing the 15‑year ban on Virginia’s blue crab winter dredge fishery.
Crabbing is currently only allowed between March and the middle of December in Virginia. The winter dredge fishery, which could extend crabbing beyond December, primarily harvests female crabs, which are key to a strong blue crab population.
CBF Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore, along with nearly 200 public comments and leaders from environmental and recreational fishing groups, opposed lifting the ban. Moore told regulators that the best available science calls for continuing a precautionary approach for female blue crabs to ensure sustainable blue crab numbers for harvests throughout the year.
Thankfully, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission reversed course in September, killing the possibility of reopening the blue crab winter harvest for the upcoming 2024/2025 season.
Clean the Bay from RVA Volunteers Turn Litter into Art
CBF volunteers filled 10 30‑gallon trash bags with litter at Pony Pasture in July, improving local waterways and raising awareness of the impacts of pollution as some volunteers transformed the litter into art.
A popular summer spot that draws scores of Richmond residents to its hiking and biking trails as well as paddlers to its rapids each weekend, Pony Pasture is also unfortunately a site for a high volume of litter. For two hours, 15 volunteers picked up a variety of items, including diapers, bookshelves, wheel covers, beer cans, and cigarette butts.
After filling some trash bags, the nonprofit Art on Wheels began imprinting the debris into textured print photos with the aim of helping the public recognize the impacts of pollution. Rain washes pollutants as well as litter from streets and parks into waterways, leading to microplastics and other pollution far downstream in rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
—Chris Moore
Virginia Executive Director
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
