About Us

Maryland Sea Grant College draws on the talent and expertise of the state's universities and academic laboratories to foster innovative marine research, education, and outreach. In this way Maryland Sea Grant serves as a bridge between academic expertise and the needs of those who manage, conserve, enjoy, or make their living from the Chesapeake Bay.

Established in 1977, Maryland Sea Grant has been a dedicated leader in efforts to protect and restore Maryland's coastal resources for thirty years. Both on its own and in collaboration with its many partners, Sea Grant proactively addresses the scientific, economic, and social challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay.

• Research efforts have informed a big-picture view of Chesapeake Bay plankton dynamics, enhanced our understanding of how underwater grass beds function, and refined our sense of how nitrogen is cycled through the ecosystem.

• Educational programs such as Aquaculture-in-Action, online interactive lessons, and science fellowships for teachers have reached hundreds of teachers and thousands of students across the region and raised the bar on environmental science education.

• Working with the seafood industry, Sea Grant Extension specialists have enhanced product development and packaging efficiency and conducted economic analyses that influenced major policies regarding industry workers.

• Sea Grant's award-winning publication, Chesapeake Quarterly, is used by managers, citizens, and others to explain important aspects of Bay science, culture, and history.

Maryland Sea Grant will continue to respond to present needs and emerging issues facing the Chesapeake by delivering creditable information to a broad community, informing the wise use and protection of our coasts, rivers, and bays.

Maryland Sea Grant is administered by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Maryland, Maryland Sea Grant forms part of a network of 30 university-based Sea Grant programs around the country.