BayStat Newsletter - April 2008

April was a busy month for the Bay and for the environment.

The results of our annual winter dredge survey showed that the Bay's blue crab population is suffering from near historic lows in spawning stock and unacceptably high fishing rates. To address this situation, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and I committed to work together to reduce the 2008 harvest of female blue crabs by 34 percent this year -- as a first step toward new strategies for ensuring a sustainable blue crab fishery for future generations. While these are not easy decisions to make, I am very proud of the partnership we have developed with Virginia on this issue, and look forward to collaborating on other issues critical to health of the treasured resource we share, the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, I have asked The Department of Natural Resources to work with our watermen to help to relieve the short term economic impacts resulting from this action.

I also had the opportunity to spend time on and around Earth Day with some of Maryland's youngest citizens. Together we explored the health of parts of the Patuxent River and talked about how our natural environment is a wonderful resource for childhood learning. To bring attention and action to this critical issue, I signed an Executive Order creating the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature, which outlines our plan to ensure Maryland children make a strong connection with our natural world and learn about environmental issues so they can grow to become healthy adults and informed and responsible stewards. I also joined Congressman John Sarbanes at a field hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education to testify in support of the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007.

Finally, last week I had the pleasure of signing a number of new laws that will move Maryland toward a more sustainable future (see legislative update below). Although action was not completed on the bill to set a goal to reduce Maryland's contribution to global warming, the General Assembly did pass energy legislation that will get us moving in the right direction. I am very pleased that working together with you and our legislators, we were able to make substantial progress toward policies that further enhance our ability to improve the health of our Chesapeake Bay.

I look forward to continuing to work with you as we meet new challenges and take the actions necessary to revitalize the Bay and to ensure a sustainable future for all Marylanders.