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About Us
Goals of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program
The Maryland coastal bays, like other coastal areas around the world, are experiencing rapid population growth and increased development. Already the bays are experiencing early warning signs of stress. Recognizing the potential for additional stress on this fragile ecosystem and the importance of a healthy ecosystem, federal, state and local government agencies have joined with the people who depend on these resources for their livelihood and quality of life to develop a plan of action that will protect and restore the health of the coastal bays. The Maryland Coastal Bays Program is one of 28 National Estuary Programs designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Maryland Coastal Bays Program has identified changes in living resources, deteriorating water quality, loss and modification of habitat, increasing chemical contamination, impacts of water based activities, and pathogen contamination as priority issues threatening the coastal bays.
The State of Maryland, Worcester County, the Town of Ocean City, the Town of Berlin and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agree to work cooperatively to engage in a watershed wide process to develop strategies.
- Improve the overall water quality by reducing the causes of eutrophication, and maintain the water quality in relatively unimpacted areas such as Chincoteague Bay.
- Protect existing habitat, restore degraded habitat and create new habitat to improve the reproduction and maintenance of healthy living resource populations.
- Access the impact of pathogens and toxic chemicals on living resources and control and/or mitigate those impacts.
- Promote ecologically sound, sustainable development in order to protect the desired uses and economic vitality of the coastal bays region.
These include:
