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On Saturday July 31, DNR staff’s Peter Tango spent an early morning trip on the upper Bay with watermen Steve Lay and Brian Bailey, and Mary Madison, editor of the Waterman's Gazette. There were reports this summer of a green slime covering crab pots within a couple of days of deployment. The slime was identified by DNR’s Walt Butler as a filamentous blue-green macroalgae Lyngbya latissima. The algae was so abundant in June and July that crabbing efforts for most other watermen moved below Pooles Island to avoid the difficulties caused by algae fouling the crab pots (Figure 1). Water clarity peaked for the year in the upper Bay during the period
when the watermen indicated the macroalgae was most abundant in the region
(June and July). Secchi depth, an index to water clarity, was above the
Maryland water quality monitoring program long-term averages between
1985-2003 for those months and reached record
clear water conditions in July of 1.9 m at the Turkey Point station. Investigations are continuing
to look at possible linkages between the algae, water clarity and abundances
of submerged aquatic vegetation being reported by citizens in the region
since May.
Pockets of blue-green
algal blooms may be encountered during boating and other recreational
activities. People should take common precautions to reduce the risk of
illness or discomfort related to blue-green algal blooms:
Please note that illness associated with harmful algal blooms is now a reportable illness so physicians should be reporting these to local health departments. The MD DNR in coordination and cooperation with DHMH and MDE will continue to monitor all blue-green algal blooms throughout the state. For up to date information on all of Maryland's harmful algal blooms and water quality, please visit Eyes on the Bay |
Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401
(877) 620-8DNR