The Bay today has become the ecological equivalent of a morbidly obese person, force-fed nitrogen and phosphorus. Excessive amounts of these nutrients and sediments have depleted the water's oxygen and killed about two-thirds of underwater grass beds vital to crabs, fish, and waterfowl.
- Tom Horton
From National Geographic Online Article June 2005 "Why Can't We Save the Bay?"
About BayStat
Governor Martin O’Malley created BayStat by Executive Order in February, 2007 – a powerful new statewide tool designed to assess, coordinate and target Maryland’s Bay restoration programs, and to inform our citizens on progress.
Each month Governor O’Malley meets with his BayStat team -- the Secretaries of the Maryland Departments of Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources and Planning, scientists from the University of Maryland and other key staff -- to make sure our Bay restoration work is on track. These sessions provide a regular opportunity for the team to assess progress, evaluate what’s working and what’s not, and adapt our efforts accordingly.
BayStat allows Maryland state agencies to work smarter…
- coordinating efforts and programs
- basing decisions on the best available science
- targeting resources to get the biggest bang for the buck and
- being more open and accountable to Maryland citizens
From the desk of
Governor Martin O'Malley
Restoring Maryland's native oyster population continues to be a vital priority of our Bay restoration strategy, and we are currently seeking partners to help expand the Marylanders Grow Oysters Program beyond the Tred Avon River.
Last September, we launched the program to encourage Maryland families to take personal responsibility for the health of the Bay by helping to create living oyster reefs in local sanctuaries to give a head start to our vital oyster population. Since then, more than 177 Marylanders have been growing oysters in 854 oyster cages along the Tred Avon.