Ocean City Today
JULY 5, 2013
NEWS 5A
Maryland Coastal Bays sees slight bay health improvement Annual Report Card shows Coastal Bays receive C+ for ‘12, better than C in ‘11 NANCY POWELL ■ Staff Writer (July 5, 2013) The annual Coastal Bays Report Card issued last Thursday showed that overall, the Coastal Bays received a grade of C+, a slight improvement since 2011 when the grade was a C. The Report Card “is a snapshot,” said Dave Wilson, executive director of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, during the unveiling of the report card at Micky
Fins in the Ocean City Fishing Center in West Ocean City. “Every year is different,” he said. The year’s report card about the health of the coastal bays showed an average grade of C+. Newport Bay and the St. Martin River had grades of D+. Assawoman Bay and Isle of Wight Bay had C grades while Sinepuxent fared the best with a B-. Chincoteague Bay received a C+ for the second year in a row. “Chincoteague Bay had been our jewel, but seagrasses there are declining,” said Bill Dennison, vice president for science applications at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental See EXCESS on Page 6A
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Bob Abele holds the Osprey Award he received in recognition of his years of service with MCBP.
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