Chesapeake Bay Leaders Adopt Innovative Bay Protection and Restoration Measures

Chesapeake Bay regional leaders recently adopted several measures designed to improve the Bay’s health by reducing pollution flowing into the Bay from agricultural areas, improving the management of the Bay’s fisheries, and instilling a Bay stewardship ethic among future generations of watershed residents.

Executive Council members adopted a new animal manure management strategy that will reduce the amount of nutrient pollution reaching local waters from livestock operations. The strategy calls for reducing surplus animal manure and poultry litter by working with farmers to put in place innovative feed management plans, animal waste storage systems, and stream fencing, and by expanding manure and litter transport systems to areas in need.

Executive Council members also adopted the Fisheries Ecosystem Plan. The Plan broadens current management efforts to take into account the linkages among fisheries, habitat and water quality management. The Executive Council agreed to give first priority to the development of ecosystem-based fishery management plans for oysters, striped bass, blue crabs, Atlantic menhaden, and Alosa species such as American shad. During the annual meeting's final session, Executive Council members, regional school system leaders, and environmental education providers signed an agreement to continue to expand Chesapeake Bay stewardship efforts. http://www.chesapeakebay.net/200511exec.htm