The vessel was a 23 foot center console that launched from PLSP and was carrying 6 passengers, the vessel reportedly filled with water then rolled on its side.

It is unclear at this time what caused the vessel to fill with water. Waves of 3-5 feet were reported in the area at the time of the accident.

Four of the six passengers were rescued the other two passengers are deceased, both bodies have been recovered and taken to St. Mary’s Hospital. The deceased were David Chase,55, and David Fletcher, 43, both of Lexington Park, MD.

It appears that the party was fishing on the first day of Striped Bass season. The investigation is continuing.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists found young zebra mussels attached to buoys off Havre de Grace on December 3. DNR is asking boaters and anglers to be on the lookout for this harmful, invasive mussel.

The biologists collected 20 live zebra mussels attached to the concrete anchor blocks for three channel marker buoys. DNR discovered the mussels when Captain Shawn Orr and the crew of DNR’s A.V. Sandusky pulled the buoys from the water for cleaning and winter storage.

“We know that these mussels are from this year’s spawn since these buoys and anchors were deployed this spring,” said Matt Ashton, a DNR biologist and mussel expert who helped collect the mussels. “We plan to check these and other buoys every fall, as part of DNR’s limited zebra mussel monitoring effort in the upper Bay area.”

Boaters, anglers and others who use the lower Susquehanna River and upper Bay can help prevent these harmful zebra mussels from spreading to other Maryland waters by taking the following precautions before launching and leaving the area:

• Remove all aquatic plants and mud from boats, motors, and trailers; and put the debris in trash containers.
• Drain river water from boat motors, bilges, live wells, bait buckets and coolers before leaving, to prevent these aquatic hitchhikers from riding along.
• Dispose of unused live bait on shore, far from the river or Bay or in trash containers.
• Rinse boats, motors, trailers, live wells, bait buckets, coolers and scuba gear with high pressure or hot water between trips to different water bodies.
• Dry everything at least two days (preferably five days) between outings.
• Limit boating from place to place ─ particularly between the Susquehanna and upper Bay to other water bodies in Maryland ─ where zebra mussels haven’t invaded.

DNR asks that people who live and work on the water keep an eye out for zebra mussels and call 410-260-8615 if they find anything suspicious. More information on this invasive species is available here.

The non-native and invasive zebra mussel was first found in Maryland in late 2008 at two locations in the Susquehanna River: the Conowingo Dam and further upstream at Glen Cove Marina, Harford County. Sporadic sightings since then indicate establishment of a zebra mussel population in the lower river and downstream dispersal, but no apparent rapid increase in abundance.

“In their wake, zebra mussels cause economic damages in the billions of dollars, killing imperiled native freshwater mussels, and disrupting aquatic ecosystems,” said Ron Klauda, DNR biologist who helped collect the mussels. “We’d rather not have them in Maryland waters, but they’re now established in the Susquehanna. So far, that’s the only place in the State where we’re convinced they’ve taken hold. We’re asking our boaters and anglers to be vigilant and help prevent their spread to other waters.”

DNR will name the 38-foot vessel in honor of the agency’s former Boating Services Director, Robert P. Gaudette, who was named an Admiral of the Chesapeake and who retired earlier this year after 32 years of service.

Oquawka Boats & Fabrications, an Illinois company, built the vessel which is powered by twin OMC 300 hp motors, and has state of the art navigational and charting systems. The boat is designed as a buoy tender, but also has the ability to remove debris in the shallow areas of the Chesapeake Bay.

“Port Deposit is very excited that this project has come to fruition,” said Mayor Wayne Tome. “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of DNR Boating Services. All of our Council Members and residents are extremely grateful and proud of our new docks.”

The dock, installed using steel piles, is 300 feet long, 6 feet wide and can accommodate up to 20 boats. The project also features an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible gangway with railings and a gate.

The total cost of the project was $253,790, with $100,000 provided through Federal Sport Fish Restoration Boating Infrastructure Grant funds and $153,790 through State Waterway Improvement Funds. The Federal Sport Fish Restoration fund is derived from a federal excise tax on fishing equipment and motor boat fuels. This user-pay, user-benefit program assists in funding public recreational motor boating projects. The revenue from the State Waterway Improvement Fund comes from the 5 percent vessel excise tax paid when someone purchases and titles a boat in Maryland.

“Just because someone has the tools and self-proclaimed knowhow, doesn’t mean they are certified with the State,” said Marian Honeczy, supervisor of DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry. “Be wary of those who show up unsolicited after a storm looking to perform tree work. Take your time and do your research.”

The State has a consumer protection law that requires anyone (individuals and businesses) who advertises or conducts tree trimmings, treatment, removal, or other care for compensation, to be a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert. Licensed experts are required to carry insurance that covers tree care work. Therefore, if property damage or personal injury occurs during the tree work, the licensed worker’s insurance will cover it. Unlicensed workers are not always covered by a customer’s home insurance.

When selecting a tree company, citizens should:

• Ask for the Maryland Licensed Tree Expert number, and verify it at: dnr.state.md.us/forests/tree_expert_search.asp;
• Request a copy of their certificate of insurance;
• Never pay the full amount before all work is completed as per the contract;
• Ask questions ─ Ask them to explain how they are going to do the job, ask for references, and then look them up;
• Find out if the tree service advocates tree topping, a harmful practice. If they do, avoid hiring the company;
• Gather multiple estimate for the proposed work;
• Obtain a written work contract that states the work to be performed and the cost.

To file a complaint against a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert or an unlicensed company, citizens must complete the complaint form located at dnr.state.md.us/forests/download/treeexpcomplaintform.doc and include any evidence such as cancelled checks, contracts, photos, or advertisements. Anonymous complaints cannot be investigated. The Maryland Forest Service enforcement authority cannot recoup funds paid out; the plaintiff will need to file civil action in their county court.

“Stocking dates and locations are dependent on water flow, temperatures and ground conditions at the delivery sites,” said DNR Inland Fisheries Chief Don Cosden. “Based on current conditions, we expect to begin stocking fish into popular ponds, creeks and rivers as early as the second week of October.”

DNR expects to stock about 26,000 one-pound rainbow and golden trout, 1,000 one-pound brown trout, and 150 two- to three-pound rainbow and golden trout throughout the State.

Popular locations should include the North Branch of the Potomac River, Bear Creek, Big Elk Creek, Blair’s Valley Lake, Deer Creek, Great Seneca Creek, Greenbelt Lake, Gunpowder Falls, Lake Artemesia, Morgan Run, Patapsco River, Wheatley Lake, Town Creek and Tuckahoe Creek.

Staff will post stocking information on the DNR Fisheries website and on the recorded DNR Trout Hotline (800-688-3467, press 2) as the program progresses.

What types of jellyfish occur in the Chesapeake Bay and nearby waters?

In the summertime in ocean waters, for example, off Ocean City, two types of large jellyfish often occur. The Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita) is a clear, flattened disk, with numerous small tentacles around the edge, and a pink four-leaf clover design in the middle. This species has a very mild sting and poses no threat to swimmers. The Lion’s Mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) is brown in color, and has longer tentacles hanging from the edge of its swimming disk and from the middle. This species has a potent sting, and while it is not dangerous to swimmers, it is very unpleasant to encounter. Some other jellyfish are seen less often in the coastal waters. In the autumn, the Mushroom Cap Jellyfish (Rhopilema verrilli) may enter the Bay. It has a deep swimming bell without tentacles, and is creamy white with darker markings on the sturdy central tentacle structures. The Cabbage Head or Cannonball Jellyfish (Stomolophus meleaqris) is like a white softball, or larger, and has a short, hard tentacle structure in the middle. Neither of these jellyfish sting swimmers. The Portuguese man of war (Physalia physalis) very seldom is seen off beaches north of Cape Hatteras. It is a relative of jellyfish that floats at the water’s surface by means of a gas-filled blue float. Beneath the float are extremely long tentacles which have a powerful sting. They should be avoided by swimmers, because a serious sting would cause extreme pain, and could result in hospitalization. The Moon Jelly also occurs in southern Chesapeake Bay during the summer. The Lion’s Mane, or Winter Jellyfish, is found in Chesapeake Bay during the winter (January – April). The jellyfish for which Chesapeake Bay is widely known in the summer is the Sea Nettle (Chrysaora auinquecirrha). It occurs from Cape Cod south along the U.S. East Coast, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, yet it abounds in Chesapeake Bay in numbers unequaled elsewhere. It occurs most abundantly in the tributaries of the middle Bay (salinities 10 – 20 ppt), where it is white in color. In the southern Bay, it often has red/maroon markings on the long central tentacles and on the swimming bell. It has an annoying sting, but is not dangerous to swimmers.

Jellyfish stings: How to prevent them and how to treat them

Lightweight protective clothing, like a lycra “swim skin” or panty hose, or a layer of petroleum jelly spread on unprotected skin, will protect a swimmers against stings. If you are stung by a jellyfish, liberally sprinkling a meat tenderizer or baking soda (or vinegar for PhYsalia) on the sting may reduce the irritation. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) are uncommon to jellyfish in U.S. waters, but emergency treatment is essential in such cases.

Where do the sea nettles come from each year?

The swimming jellyfish are either male or female. They produce eggs or sperm, which are shed daily into the water during the summer. Fertilized eggs form larvae that attach to hard surfaces, like oyster shells, and grow into tiny polyps. The bottom-dwelling polyps live through the winter in a dormant state. During May through August, the polyps bud off tiny sea nettles about 1/25 of an inch in diameter, that grow rapidly into the visible jellyfish.

How do sea nettles feed and what do they eat?

Sea nettles capture prey that contact the tentacles trailing behind the swimming bell. These tentacles have millions of microscopic stinging cells that inject toxins to stun or kill tiny animals, and which are responsible for the stings swimmers feel. The prey are transported up the central tentacles to the heart-shaped gastric pouches in the swimming bell where digestion occurs. Jellyfish are prodigious predators because they swim and feed continuously. They do not have eyes, and so do not need light to feed. They feed without interruption because the many tentacles function independently of the others. The tentacles provide a very large surface area for prey capture. Sea nettles feed mostly on microscopic crustaceans called copepods that are very abundant in Bay waters. They also eat young minnows, bay anchovy eggs, worms, mosquito larvae, and comb jellies, so they would seldom be without something to eat.

Why are there so many sea nettles in Chesapeake Bay?

Sea nettles are made up mostly of water and salts, with organic materials totalling only about 0.2k of their entire live weight. For this reason, very little food can provide enough organic materials to result in a lot of growth. The jellyfish can get bigger very rapidly, and the amount of food they catch increases directly with their increasing size. Sea nettles are geared for high reproduction. They begin producing eggs when the swimming bell is only about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The number of eggs increases tremendously as they grow, with a nettle about 4 inches in diameter shedding about 40,000 eggs into the water daily. The polyps can bud to produce more polyps. Each polyp produces up to 45 jellyfish each summer The Sea Nettle is unusual in its ability to live in water of low salinity (salt content). Most jellyfish species live at ocean water salinity, about 35 ppt (35 parts salt to 965 parts water). The Sea Nettle prefers waters having as little as 12 ppt salinity, and may have estuaries like Chesapeake Bay, to itself without serious competition from most other jellyfish. In fact, sea nettles eat their most abundant competitors in the Bay, the comb jellies. Populations of plants and animals often are controlled by other organisms that feed on them. However, adult sea nettles may have few natural predators in the middle reaches of Chesapeake Bay. Sea turtles, which are known to eat Portuguese men of war and some other jellyfish, rarely come far into the Bay. And fish species (harvestfish, butterfish) observed feeding on sea nettles prefer waters of higher salinity.

Are there more sea nettles now than in earlier years?

It is possible that the changes in Chesapeake Bay caused by human activities have led to larger populations of the Sea Nettle in recent times. The waters of the Bay have been enriched with organic materials and nutrients from waste products and fertilizers due to heavy human settlement around the Bay. This kind of enrichment can change the species of microscopic plants suspended in the waters from large to small types. The small plants are more suitable as food for small grazers (copepods), which in turn are more suitable for predators like jellyfish, and less suitable for visual predators like fishes. Dr. Roger Newell proposed that removal of most of the oysters that were once so abundant in the Bay also may leave much uneaten plant material suspended in the water to be consumed by copepods, which in turn could be used by jellyfish and increase their populations. Unfortunately, no early records document the abundance of the Sea Nettle before Man began to seriously change Chesapeake Bay, so there is little with which to compare the present abundance. Mr. David Cargo kept daily records of the numbers of sea nettles at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, MD for nearly 30 years. He found great annual variation in jellyfish numbers: more occurred in dry years than in rainy years, but no overall increase in abundance was apparent. Such records would need to go back more than 100 years to reveal if human-caused changes in the Bay have affected the abundance of sea nettles.

Is it possible to reduce the numbers of jellyfish?

A lot of effort was spent on jellyfish control in the 1960s, but no method has been very successful. Nets and bubble screens were used to keep them away from swimming areas. The jellyfish tended to clog the nets and to break into pieces that continued to sting. The bottom-living polyp stage also was targeted. Chemicals that killed the polyps also killed many other organisms, and so were unsuitable. A small species of sea slug was found that ate the polyps, but culture methods to produce large numbers of the sea slugs were unsuccessful, and they did not live well at the low salinities favored by the polyps. So far, the greatest reduction of the jellyfish populations occurred after Hurricane Agnes in 1972, but this method of control cannot be recommended.

Can anything good be said about sea nettles?

Research in my laboratory has shown that sea nettles may help oysters. Oysters have a larval stage that spends about two weeks swimming in the Bay before they settle to grow into large oysters. During this swimming stage, they are vulnerable to predators such as sea nettles and comb jellies. Although sea nettles can catch the larval oysters, they spit them out undigested and unharmed. In contrast, comb jellies catch and digest the larvae readily. Comb jellies are a favorite food of sea nettles, and they reduce comb jelly populations to zero in the tributaries during the summer when oyster larvae are most abundant. Therefore, sea nettles appear to protect oyster larvae from a major predator.

What recent research is there on Sea Nettles?

In my laboratory, we have been working to determine the importance of sea nettles as predators of copepods. This is of interest because if sea nettles reduce copepod populations, then less food would be available for planktivorous fish, for example bay anchovy and menhaden, which then are food for piscivorous fish like striped bass and bluefish. We have found that sea nettles eat at most 5% of the copepods daily in mid Chesapeake Bay, which is small compared with the growth rate of the copepod population. In the tributaries, however, Sea Nettles can consume 50 – 90% of the copepods daily, and copepod abundances seem to decline over the summer, possibly due to this predation. Sea Nettles consume up to 50% daily of the bay anchovy eggs and larvae during the peak spawning in July. This research was in collaboration with Dr. Ed Houde of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. We also are studying which environmental factors have the greatest effects on the population size of sea nettles. We have done experiments to measure the numbers of sea nettles produced by polyps, and the survival and growth of the baby jellyfish at varlous comblnatlons of salinity, temperature, and food concentrations. Few sea nettles are produced at low salinities (< 7 ppt) or at high salinities (> 25 ppt). I am beginning a large-scale project to map the distributions of jellies throughout Chesapeake Bay in April, July, and October. In collaboration with several other scientists, I will examine environmental and biological (e.g. food) factors that may determine the distribution and abundance of jellies in the Bay.

Will this be a heavy or light year for Sea Nettles in the Bay?

Because this has been a dry year, I expect that sea nettles will be numerous this year.

Prepared by: Dr. Jennifer E. Purcell, Associate Professor
University of Maryland System
Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies
Horn Point Environmental Laboratory
P.O. Box 775
Cambridge, MD 21613

Cusick and crew members caught the shark aboard the boat Milling Around, a 50-foot Viking sport fishing boat, in search of tuna and marlin. They were fishing near a pod of pilot whales over the Washington Canyon, about 60 miles southeast of Ocean City. Cusick said the fish put up a tough, tuna-like fight for about 45 minutes, stripping the 100-pound test line down to the backing on an 80-wide Italian Alutecnos reel.

“We were sure it was a bigeye tuna. We had been marking tuna on the sonar and boats nearby were hooked up, fighting bigeyes,” said Cusick. “It wasn’t until we saw the color and length of the fish, that we knew it was a shark.”

The crew cruised back to Harbor Island Marina where the fish was weighed. Tournament weigh-master Dale Timmons informed Cusick that he had won the shark division and that the fish could be a State record. Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) fisheries biologist Chris Jones then certified the catch as a Maryland record scalloped hammerhead shark.

The previous record was a 254-pound fish caught by Jamie Gill over Massey’s Canyon in 2009.

Cusick will be recognized as a 2012 State record achiever at the Maryland Fishing Challenge Finale and Grand Prize Drawing on September 8 at the Maryland Seafood Festival, at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.

The Maryland Fishing Challenge is a year-round contest for all anglers in Maryland. Anglers who catch and register any of the more than 80 Maryland Angler Award eligible sport fish species receive certificates of achievement and invitations to the Grand

Finale. This year’s celebration will include chances to win a Tracker boat, a tropical vacation from the World Fishing Network(WFN), tackle packages from Bill’s Outdoor Center and Bass Pro Shops, Under Armour gear and gift cards from various sponsors.

Now in its eighth year, the Challenge showcases Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay as a premier sport fishing destination with accessible, affordable, diverse and high quality fishing for anglers of all ages─ from the crystal mountain streams, to the central Maryland lakes and the mighty Potomac River, down to the Chesapeake Bay, the Coastal bays and the Atlantic Ocean.

Marylanders can keep up with DNR fisheries information through Twitter (@MDDNRFISH) and on Facebook atfacebook.com/MDDNRFisheriesService. The latest fishing reports are available through the DNR Fisheries Angler’s Log, a family-friendly online meeting place where anglers report and show their catches at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/log.asp.

“We really wanted to make our place the best it could be, so we decided to go for the Clean Marina Award,” said Co-owner Denise Klein. “The improvements are noticeable as soon as you walk in.”

“Our customers are on board too, which is great,” said Co-owner George Klein.

To meet award criteria, the Kleins worked with on-site contractors to remove old items stored in the yard, and established stormwater pollution prevention plans and regulations. The marina also maintains a spill response kit and recycles used shrink-wrap.

“This is an excellent example of a facility being brought up to modern standards by dedicated owners,” said Program Coordinator Donna Morrow. “We really enjoy working with enthusiastic marina owners who want to help protect our waterways. We encourage others to participate too.”

Bay Harbor Boatyard is known for its wooden boat restoration skills and also houses a marine transport trucking company.

This is the 123rd certified Maryland Clean Marina. There are a total of 148 certified facilities in the State, including 25 smaller Clean Marina partners. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources oversees the Clean Marina Initiative, a voluntary program that promotes and celebrates efforts of marinas, boatyards and yacht clubs to reduce their pollution.

Each of the 148 certified facilities has adopted a significant portion of recommendations in the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook and passed a rigorous site inspection. Certifications are good for three years, at which time DNR staff re-inspects the properties. Marinas and boatyards of any size can participate.

More information and free program materials are available by calling 410-260-8773 or visiting dnr.maryland.gov/boating/cleanmarina.

“Many hunters will find the shift to the COMPASS self service features extremely efficient,” said Len Singel, DNR’s chief information officer.

COMPASS issues all hunters an account with a free DNRid number. Once a hunter obtains their unique number, it can be used to identify that person as a returning customer at DNR Service Centers or Agent locations to speed up service. A hunter can also use his or her email address as a username and login to a personalized COMPASS account. This includes purchasing licenses or stamps and registering deer and turkey.

Hunters who want more information or encounter problems should contact the DNR Licensing and Registration Service at 410-260-3220 during normal business hours or the Call Center at 1-855-855-3906 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Here are some key changes hunters need to keep in mind when making the switch to COMPASS:

• Licenses and stamps may still be purchased at Sport License Agents (such as many sporting goods stores) online atdnr.maryland.gov/service and through the Call Center. Hunters will be issued a DNRid number during their initial transaction and should keep this number handy for future interactions with DNR. Persons wanting to obtain just a DNRid number may do so at Sport License Agents or online at dnr.maryland.gov/service/getDNRidcard.asp.

• Game checking may still be done online gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us and by phone 1-888-800-0121. Instead of entering a license number, hunters will be asked to enter their DNRid number. COMPASS will require online users to log into their DNR account with the login name and password they established earlier. Game checking will be quick and easy once a hunter has logged into his or her DNR account.

• Hunters registering a deer or turkey will still be issued a confirmation number. Those who have done this in the past will notice that a two letter county code has been added to the confirmation number.

• A significant change is that hunters exempt from needing a hunting license must still have a DNRid number to register a deer or turkey. They can no longer use the last four digits of their social security number followed by their zip code. Once license exempt hunters obtain a DNRid number they can get a printed copy of their Maryland Big Game Harvest Record.

• Persons shooting deer under the authority of a Deer Management Permit to reduce crop damage will also need to have a DNRid number to register deer taken via the permit. In the past, the permit number and the shooter’s identification number were used to report deer taken.

Complete bag limits, season dates, game registration procedures and hunting regulations are available at dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The 2012-2013 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license also contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.