Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Virginia and Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers 64,299 mi² (166,534 km²) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. More than 150 rivers and streams drain into the Bay.

Fishing Industry

The word Chesepiooc is an Algonquian word meaning "Great Shellfish Bay." The Bay was once known for its great seafood production, especially blue crabs, clams and oysters. The plentiful oyster harvests led to the development of the Skipjack, the State Boat of Maryland, which is the only remaining working boat type in the United States still under sail power. Today, the body of water is less productive than it used to be, because of runoff from development throughout the watershed, urbanization, particularly on its western shore, overharvesting, and invasion of foreign species. The bay though, still yields more fish and shellfish (about 45,000 short tons or 40,000 metric tons yearly) than any other estuary in the United States.

Related Topics:
Algonquian - Blue crabs - Clam - Oyster - Skipjack - United States - Fish - Shellfish - Ton

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The Bay is famous for its Rockfish, otherwise known as Striped bass. Once on the verge of extinction, Rockfish have made a significant comeback and are now able to be fished in strictly controlled and limited quantities.

Related Topics:
Rockfish - Striped bass

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The Bay serves as the predominate source of eel in the United States.

Related Topics:
Eel - United States

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In 2005, local governments began debate on the introduction to certain parts of the Bay of a species of asian oyster, to revive the lagging shellfish industry.

Related Topics:
2005 - Oyster

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