About Us

See a Maryland Sea Grant report  to NOAA describing our accomplish- ments from 2008-2011. Download the pdf.

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. 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 bolstered our understanding of major commercial species, including the oyster, blue crab, and striped bass, and brought scientists and managers together to design new ecosystem-based fisheries management regimes. Other research has informed a big-picture view of Chesapeake Bay plankton dynamics, expanded our awareness of invasive species, enhanced understanding of underwater grass beds, and refined our knowledge of how nutrients cycle through the ecosystem.

• Educational programs support graduate fellows who work directly with Sea Grant-funded researchers, and sponsor undergraduate summer students in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. Through an Aquaculture-in-Action curriculum, online interactive lessons, and science fellowships for teachers, Sea Grant has helped raise the bar on environmental science education.

• Working with the seafood industry, Sea Grant Extension specialists enhance products and packaging and conduct economic analyses that help guide policies regarding seafood processors and the workforce. Watershed Specialists, who work collaboratively with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and other partners, help deliver information and assistance at the community level aimed at restoring the Bay’s tributaries.

• 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 rivers, bays, and coasts.

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.