The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has received a $96,572 grant from the nonprofit Blue Convergence Fund to develop a climate-resilient fishery management plan for the state, the agency announced April 30.
The award, one of only 11 proposals accepted globally under the 2025 Climate Resilient Fisheries Engagement Grants program, was funded in February 2026. It will support the DNR's Fishing and Boating Services Unit in creating a framework for applying adaptation and resilience strategies to state-managed fisheries.
The project comes in the wake of the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Wes Moore in 2025, which expanded the state's authority for climate resilience planning across its fisheries.
The need for such planning is underscored by measurable environmental shifts already underway. Water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay have warmed approximately 2.5°C since 1985, and sea level rise has converted 29,100 acres of upland forests and farmland to tidal marsh since 1984.
"Climate change is already impacting Maryland," said DNR Resilient Systems Officer Jackie Specht. "A climate resilient fishery management plan will allow Maryland to prepare for both the challenges and opportunities that arise for Maryland's fishing resources and communities in the future."
DNR says the plan will be developed collaboratively. The agency is currently recruiting members for a fishery management plan workgroup that will bring together state fishery managers, scientific experts, and fishing community members. Workgroup participants will attend meetings, gather information, and help draft and review the final plan, which could ultimately be incorporated into existing state fisheries regulations.
Any adult living within the Chesapeake Bay watershed who is interested in developing adaptation and resilience strategies for Maryland's fisheries is eligible to apply. Applications are being accepted through May 13 on the DNR website, with workgroup activities expected to run from spring 2026 through spring 2027.
