On 5/8/2002, 5/16/2002 and 5/20/2002, water samples collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Coastal Bays Monitoring Program and Maryland Department of the Environment showed that a brown tide organism was blooming north of the Ocean City inlet. Greatest concentrations were observed in Grays Creek area of Assawoman Bay and St. Martin River, Turville and Herring Creeks that flow into Isle of Wight Bay. Concentrations of Aureococcus anophagefferens were identified in the samples to levels of  category 2 blooms (>35,000 cells per ml but < 200,000 cells per ml). Category 2 blooms have shown reduced feeding rates in adult hard clams and growth reduction in juvenile hard clams, mussels and bay scallops. Samples collected in the southern bays by the National Park Service on April 30th also showed category 2 blooms at Public Landing. Densities over 200,000 cells per milliliter (Category 3) may harm underwater grasses by turning the water brown and blocking sunlight while also being detrimental to the health of shellfish such as clams and scallops by replacing their preferred food. There are no known human health impacts from Brown Tide. Additional observations by DNR staff between May 13th and 20th confirm the persistence of the bloom event.

Biweekly sampling in the Coastal Bays specifically for brown tide monitoring began in April and will continue into early summer. During 2000 and 2001, brown tide in the Coastal Bays reached significant bloom levels from late May to mid-June but the distribution was predominantly south of the Ocean City Inlet near Public Landing, Newport Bay and Tingles Island. Additional monitoring for 2002 is in place for a study of possible brown tide impacts on juvenile clam growth and survival. Sampling stations being visited weekly in this study are located in Newport Bay (1 site), Public Landing (2 sites) and Figgs Landing (1 site).