Chesapeake Bay

The migration of osprey mark the seasons in the Chesapeake Bay, with their return in March from South America a sign of spring. But an increasing number of these "fish hawks" appear to be spending the winter in the bay, and returning earlier -- perhaps the result of a warming climate.  (Photo of osprey by James A. Galletto, Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island/NOAA )

Although Pennsylvania farms contribute a significant amount of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, half of the 40,000 farms in the state's part of the Bay watershed do not have pollution control plans required by law to reduce runoff of manure and soil into streams. One　farmer who is doing an exemplary job of following the state's clean streams requirements is Leroy Walker, above, who recently built new manure management pits, a shed, and barn to reduce runoff pollution.

After a major rockfish poaching incident, Maryland Natural Resource Police are using high-tech gear, including sonar systems and tracking devices, to crack down on illegal fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.  New laws also grant officers the power to impose $25,000 fines, revoke fishing licenses, and inspect the cabins of commercial fishing boats without probable cause.

As Maryland prepares to go on its pollution diet, certain jurisdictions are looking into fees to help pay for the cost of reducing stormwater runoff. But critics say it’s not the right time for a regressive tax. We talk with an Anne Arundel councilman who’s proposing a measure there.  Then - WYPR managing editor for news Sunni Khalid on what he learned about how Marylanders deal with death and remembrance after spending weeks reporting the series “Last Rites.” And - where have all the critics gone?

American eel. Photo credit: NOAA.

The American eel, or Anguilla rostrada, is one of the strangest and most contrarian fishes in the world, with a migration pattern opposite that of most species.  But its populations are declining, in part because of overfishing for seafood markets in Europe and Asia, and because a growing number of their streams are blocked by dams and development.

George Kelly.

Maryland and surrounding states plan to use pollution credit trading as a central part of their strategy to meet new EPA pollution limits for the Chesapeake Bay. George Kelly, founder of Environmental Banc & Exchange, believes that a market-based approach will reduce fertilizer runoff pollution on farms, although others are skeptical.

Health warning on bridge over Herring Run in northeast Baltimore, which has been plagued with sewage overflows.

Learning more about how some cancers grow.

A new National Research Council report says states may be undercounting or overcounting “best management practices” that reduce nutrient runoff and help the Chesapeake meet the EPA’s new pollution diet. We’ll hear from the EPA about what this means for bay cleanup efforts.

Carla Hayden of the Enoch Pratt Free Library brings us her picks for series reading post-Potter.

Steve Phillips, president and CEO of Phillips Foods, Inc, stops by Studio A to talk about the humble beginnings of his family-owned, Baltimore-headquartered company that now is one of the world’s largest processors of blue swimming crab meat and employs thousands of people worldwide. He’ll also talk about his efforts in sustainability and recent initiatives by US importers to set a minimum size for crabs harvested in Indonesia and the Philippines to prevent the type of overfishing that led to declines in Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. Originally broadcast 4-4-11