iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Can you picture the life of an oyster? This illustration depicts the journey of an oyster's life at the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery in Cambridge, Maryland. The hatchery (one of the largest on the East Coast) produces oyster larvae for research, restoration, and education. #SeafoodMonth

A scientific illustration of an oyster's lifecycle inside a hatchery, including descriptions of broodstock, spawning, micro-algae, setting tanks, larvae tanks, downwellers, and spat-on-shell, as well as deployment for oyster restoration projects and descriptions of oyster farms and markets.

020

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

There's no better way to celebrate #SeafoodMonth than at one of Maryland's fall oyster festivals. Enjoy live shucking competitions, family fun, and plenty of fresh seafood: Oct 17–18 | US Oyster Festival (St. Mary's County) Nov 7 | OysterFest at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels)

Raw oysters on the half shell served on a wooden board with slices of lemon and catsup

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Mark your calendars for the Horn Point Laboratory open house Oct. 10! This free event in Cambridge, MD, is fun for all ages. Explore environmental science with interactive exhibits, tours of the oyster hatchery and research vessel Rachel Carson, crafts, games, and more! >> loom.ly/qmtusjI

Flyer advertising the free UMCES Horn Point Laboratory Open House "Adventure Awaits" on Oct 10, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

010

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Underwater grasses create essential habitat for fish, crabs, and other Chesapeake Bay animals to find food, raise young, and avoid predators. Learn about the Bay's largest bed of submerged grasses, the Susquehanna Flats, in Chesapeake Quarterly >> arcg.is/0DyfOS1 📸: Chesapeake Bay Program

Underwater grasses break the surface of clear waters on a sunny day. Floating text reads "Happy World Habitat Day"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Congratulations to our 2024-2026 law and policy fellow, Kerry McClaughry! During her two-year fellowship, Kerry coordinated the Chesapeake Rising legal symposium, shepherded articles by early career legal scholars to publication, and contributed legal research to articles and policy documents.

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It's o-fish-al! We recently delivered 250 striped bass to Maryland high schools participating in our Aquaculture In Action program. Students will raise these fish and learn biology, chemistry, and engineering concepts in the process. Learn more: loom.ly/AAl7y0Y

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Register for our upcoming seafood HACCP training! Join University of Maryland Extension for an FDA-recognized Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) training course October 6-8 in Queenstown, Maryland. Spaces are limited! Learn more about the course >> loom.ly/wjxLu-0

A woman in a red jacket gestures while holding a metal container next to equipment in a seafood processing facility

001

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hundreds of thousands of creeks, streams, and rivers flow through the Chesapeake Bay region. “Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories" examines the waterways that shape and sustain the Bay’s landscapes and communities. Stream the film on pbs.org >> loom.ly/YfGbCMk #WorldRiversDay

An aerial view of a wide river cutting through land with smaller winding waterways feeding into it. Floating text says "Happy World Rivers Day"

001

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Celebrate #WorldMaritimeDay with a visit to one of Maryland's many maritime museums! Located throughout the state, Maryland's maritime museums celebrate the history, ecology, and culture of the Chesapeake Bay. Learn more and find a museum near you >> loom.ly/sVMGA-E

A two-story blue wooden building with a sign that reads Havre de Grace Maritime Museum in the foreground, situated along a road and next to a paved walkway with a wooden park bench on the left.

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

How does a rain garden work? Slow it down, sink it in! Our new illustration shows how rain gardens and rain barrels capture water in the ground instead of sending it to storm drains and local waterways.

010

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Happy first day of fall, Maryland! Did you know mid-fall is a great time to put native plant seeds in the ground. The cool, stable temperatures make it the perfect season for planting perennials like milkweed, black-eyed Susan, and wild geranium. Learn more >> loom.ly/AXtl9Lc

Black-eyed Susan flowers with golden yellow petals fanning out from a dark brown center

0104

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Did you know the EPA created a program dedicated to restoring and protecting 28 of the nation’s most important estuaries, including the #ChesapeakeBay? The Chesapeake is the largest estuary in the US. Learn more on the National Estuary Program website: loom.ly/SevQhsk #NationalEstuariesWeek

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Are you curious about the economic impact of oyster aquaculture in Maryland? Where oysters are grown? Or how many pounds of nitrogen and phosphorous farmed oysters help remove from the Bay? Check out this interactive dashboard from Maryland Sea Grant Extension >> loom.ly/UgTC3VA

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Are you an educator using aquaculture in your classroom? Check out our updated Aquaculture in Action manual designed to help you make the most of your recirculating aquaculture system: loom.ly/gO9rSUg

Cover of the manual "Aquaculture in Action: A Manual for Recirculating Aquaculture in the Classroom"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

September is National Preparedness Month. From floods to power outages, severe weather emergencies can happen at any time. The best way to keep your family and community safe is to be ready. Find resources at ready.gov/stand-ready #NatlPrep

A road through a marshy area partially flooded with water. A car drives down the road past the floodwater and a sign next to the water says "Flood Area"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Does that water look a little green? When a sulfur bacteria bloom in Baltimore's Inner Harbor turned our intern's summer project into black sludge, she saw an educational opportunity. Learn how natural phenomena, communication, and community science connect at loom.ly/vctZvY8

111

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We're thrilled to announce the second Marsh Resilience Summit. Join researchers, regulators, and practitioners to discuss the latest science, emerging technologies, and policies to reach our wetland goals. 📆 February 9-10, 2027 📍Cambridge, MD 🔗 loom.ly/1v_aLc8 Registration coming soon!

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

"Science illustration can bring what some might call 'boring science' to life and create a story that both teaches and leaves an emotional impact," says science illustrator Julia Devine. Read how Julia turns scientific concepts into compelling visual stories on our blog >> loom.ly/qY6_zeA

Julia Devine stands in a shallow creek wearing waders and holding long, stringy mats of algae

An illustration of harmful algal mats in the Chesapeake Bay, depicting an underwater scene with dense grass beds interspersed with thick, wooly looking mats of cyanobacteria algae. Fish swim among the grasses and amphipods live within the algal mats

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Celebrate #ReadABookDay with a story about one of the #ChesapeakeBay watershed's amphibians! "Salamander Season," co-authored by our assistant director of education, J. Adam Frederick, tells the story of a girl and her scientist father on a search for spotted salamanders: loom.ly/4XnqjG8

A page from "Salamander Season" with an illustration of spotted salamanders walking across a log in the rain and text that says "I hear the loud quack, quack, quack of wood frogs; whirr of the upland chorus frog; and peep, peep, peep of spring peepers. Then I see them. Dozens of shiny salamanders are marching over rotting logs. They look like wiggly, little soldiers."

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Did you know the #ChesapeakeBay is home to the largest breeding population of ospreys in the world? #Osprey mate for life and return to the Bay each spring (often traveling thousands of miles from Central and South America) to nest in the same areas where they were born. #NationalWildlifeDay

An osprey holds a partially eaten fish in its talons against a tree branch the bird is perched on

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

In May 2025, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act. Aspects of this legislation impact Maryland's aquaculture and commercial fisheries. Learn more in a new blog post from our law and policy fellow Kerry McClaughry >> loom.ly/siy0STY

A marsh with calm, shallow waters and green grasses. Floating text on the image reads "New blog post: The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act's Impacts on Aquaculture and Commercial Fisheries."

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Seven Baltimore City students completed Career Lab: Sustainable Food Systems, a summer program focused on aquaculture, environmental science, and sustainability, made possible through a partnership between Maryland Sea Grant, Fishnet, and Baltimore City YouthWorks >> loom.ly/TwcQM2o

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Welcome science management and policy intern, Melanie Medrano! "I'm looking forward to learning more about the behind-the-scenes work that makes science possible," says Melanie. "The opportunity to work at the intersection of research, education, and communications is especially exciting to me."

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Join the University of Maryland Extension Seafood Safety Program for an FDA-recognized Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) training course October 6-8 in Queenstown, Maryland. Spaces are limited! Learn more about the course and register >> loom.ly/wjxLu-0

A woman and man look at a stainless steel machine in a crab processing facility

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

The Chesapeake Bay watershed has a massive land-to-water ratio of about 14:1, the largest of any coastal watershed in the world. The watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles across six states and Washington, DC. 📸: USGS/Public Domain

An aerial view of a portion of the Chesapeake Bay surrounded by forests and homes. Text above the image reads "The Chesapeake Bay watershed has the largest land-to-water ratio of any coastal water body in the world."

An outline of the Chesapeake Bay watershed boundary with text "The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans over 64,000 square miles across six states and Washington, DC."

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Our four summer interns wrapped up their work in research, communication, and science illustration in August. Congratulations to Orion, Julia, Yunisa, and Christina! Special thanks to the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation for funding our two research internships and our science illustration internship.

Four photos of interns in the field. Top left: A young man in a hat and waders stands in shallow water and holds a fish. Top right: A young woman in waders stands in knee-high water and holds a stringy mat of cyanobacteria. Bottom left: A young woman kneels beside water with a rack of biofilm discs. Bottom right: A young woman stands in knee-high water and holds up a water sample.

111

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Expand your Bay bookshelf! Visit our online bookstore for references, history books, and environmental science resources. Explore the history of marine science in our region in Predictive Ecology. Or grab The Blue Crab, all about Maryland's favorite crustacean, for just $25! loom.ly/CHJ7W1s

Two book covers from Maryland Sea Grant's bookstore. On the left is "Predictive Ecology" and on the right is "The Blue Crab" with a sale sticker

020

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Educators: Ready to make the most of your recirculating aquaculture system this school year? We’ve just updated our Aquaculture in Action teacher manual with step-by-step guidance, classroom activities, troubleshooting tips, and more! 📖 Grab the updated guide here: loom.ly/gO9rSUg

Cover page of "A Manual for Recirculating Aquaculture in the Classroom" guide

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

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 >> loom.ly/XVIxcJg

Groundwater surfacing in a rocky area of a forest with moss and trees

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Blue catfish are an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay, but putting them on the menu can help. Across Maryland, school cafeterias and food pantries are serving this nutritious, local fish to support communities and the Bay. Learn more in our Chesapeake Quarterly archives: arcg.is/15bzmm0

A blue catfish pulled from the water and held in a fish grip

020

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

"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: loom.ly/IZfUBSk

A young woman kneels on a floating platform in the Baltimore Harbor and handles a rack of biofilm discs

a tiny translucent white dusky sea slug crawling across brown algae and delicate branching marine growth

Tiny bryozoans viewed under a microscope with delicate white feathery feeding structures extending from tiny tubes

A semi-translucent, microscopic mud crab crawls over a bed of other tiny marine life

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Celebrating #LighthouseDay 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. Located in Havre de Grace, the lighthouse is open to the public on weekends from April-October.

010

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

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! Oysters on the half shell are heaped with a buttery herb-breadcrumb mixture and baked. Try for yourself at loom.ly/eL0_S0Q.

Oysters Rockefeller fresh out of the oven

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Stay connected to science and stories from around the Chesapeake Bay! Sign up for our quarterly newsletter and get the latest research, funding opportunities, events, and updates from Maryland Sea Grant delivered straight to your inbox. 📩 Subscribe today: loom.ly/wow6_ME

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Please join us in congratulating Maryland Sea Grant Director Fredrika Moser on her retirement. Moser concludes 25 years of service to Sea Grant and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in July 2026. Read our interview with Moser on our blog >> loom.ly/IIpwjRw

Fredrika Moser wearing a scarf and blazer

041

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

A vast underwater meadow in the upper #ChesapeakeBay has shaped generations of hunters, anglers, watermen, and wildlife. The new issue of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine explores the #SusquehannaFlats, from submerged grass beds to the Conowingo Dam and the area’s fisheries: loom.ly/5PYztzk

A clump of submerged grasses floats on the surface of calm water on a clear day, with more blades of grass visible underwater

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Maryland Sea Grant Extension specialists, along with researchers at UMCES and NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, have developed a new decision-support tool to help oyster growers compare conditions across potential aquaculture sites. 🦪 Learn more: loom.ly/k97Kxs0

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

What happens when science, architecture, and community come together? In a new blog post from intern Cally Carmello, discover how a design competition connected graduate students with Galesville, Maryland, residents to explore creative solutions for coastal adaptation >> loom.ly/v-YtJ3o

A group of Galesville, MD, residents and Maryland Sea Grant Staff pose together inside a community center

A few small boats float anchored along a grassy shoreline with a pier in the distance

A group of students and professionals pose together in a conference center

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Educators recently convened at the National Marine Educators Association conference in Cambridge, Maryland. MDSG helped to sponsor the conference and led workshops, presentations, and tours. Adam Frederick, our assistant director for education, received a Sea Grant Educators Network Award! 🎉

A group of educators stand in an oyster hatchery greenhouse and listen to an outreach specialist speak about the facility

A group of educators look at oyster shells

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

From striped bass to snakehead, the Susquehanna Flats play host to year-round fishing and hundreds of tournaments. “It’s about more than catching fish,” says one angler. Read more in our latest issue of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine: arcg.is/1501TH2

Graphic with a photo of a small boat traveling quickly across the Susquehanna Flats and text: "Chesapeake Quarterly / Fishing the Flats / Diversity of Species Brings Generations of Recreational Anglers to the Susquehanna Flats / Get the full story at ChesapeakeQuarterly.net"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

This summer, our education team helped set up two recirculating aquaculture systems at Baltimore City's Green Street Academy. Our Aquaculture in Action program brings fish into Maryland classrooms, where students raise the fish and conduct hands-on research. Learn more: loom.ly/AAl7y0Y

Two smiling people wearing baseball caps pose inside a greenhouse, standing beside large cylindrical tanks and plastic tubs connected by PVC piping for an aquaculture system. The space contains multiple water tanks and equipment arranged in rows for growing fish.

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

This #WorldEmojiDay, we're celebrating all the places that make Maryland special, from the rolling hills of Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay. Which emoji represents your Maryland? Share in the comments and tell us the place, wildlife, food, or tradition it brings to mind!

A map of Maryland dotted with different emojis representing different places across the state. Floating text reads "Which emoji represents your Maryland?"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Our Chesapeake Quarterly archive explores the science behind microplastics in the #ChesapeakeBay, how researchers are tracking them, and why understanding these tiny pollutants is so important. This #PlasticFreeJuly, revisit the special issue >> loom.ly/6iJYaUM

Cover of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine Volume 19, Number 2 "Microplastics and the Chesapeake" featuring a photo of microplastics viewed magnified under a microscope

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

The art of cultivating soft shell crabs is all about timing, but it's also a race against naturally occurring viruses. Researchers at IMET completed a first-ever genomic analysis of virus diversity and abundance in blue crabs. Read more on our blog >> loom.ly/k5VbF1M

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Congratulations to Cally Carmello, our science management and policy intern, for being named a 2026 NSF Graduate Research Fellow! 🌟 She will pursue graduate studies in coastal flooding and water quality at NC State University. 🌊 We are excited to follow Cally's journey in science!

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

The #SusquehannaFlats tell a story of change. Until the mid-1900s, fishermen hauled in immense catches of native river herring, shad, and striped bass. Today, the commercial harvest is dominated by the invasive blue catfish. Read more in Chesapeake Quarterly magazine: arcg.is/jn14O0

Graphic with a photo of a deep orange sunset over the waters of the Susquehanna Flats and text: "Chesapeake Quarterly / Ribbons of Silver, Nets of Blue / From Historic Shad Runs to Invasive Catfish, the Susquehanna Flats Tell a Story of Change / Get the full story at ChesapeakeQuarterly.net"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

At a May workshop, Baltimore residents learned rain barrels reduce stormwater runoff and conserve water. Through a partnership with Baltimore GROW Center, Maryland Sea Grant Extension, and Baltimore Community ToolBank, attendees gained skills and left with free rain barrels: loom.ly/-kprtco

Two people assemble a rain barrel. Floating text reads "New Blog Post: How Baltimore Residents Are Using Rain Barrels to Manage Stormwater"

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Happy Fourth of July, Maryland! As we celebrate 250 years of our nation's history, we're also celebrating the rich biodiversity of the Chesapeake and coastal bays that makes Maryland so special. What local seafood are you enjoying today? 🦀🐟🦪

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Don't miss Maryland's last free fishing day July 4! On Free Fishing Days, anglers can fish recreationally without a license. Be sure to follow all other fishing laws and regulations, including size and catch limits. Learn more from Maryland Department of Natural Resources: loom.ly/_iY5yGY

000

Maryland Sea Grant @mdseagrant.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

We're looking for a research, proposal, and reporting coordinator to join our team! This contract position is ideal for an organized, intellectually curious professional interested in shaping, supporting, and managing impactful research programs. 📝 Apply by July 10: loom.ly/rGj_N70

010