Baltimore (November 2, 2010) – The National Aquarium continues to monitor Baltimore area waterways for a wayward manatee after receiving another report late last week of a manatee sighting in the upper Patapsco River area. The report is one of several that were made to the National Aquarium in the month of October.

With cold weather rapidly approaching, several concerns are being raised about the health of the manatee. The National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) worries that the water temperature of the Upper Patapsco is quickly becoming too cold for the mammal and its natural food source, submerged grass.

 

“We have received several reports of manatee sightings over the past three weeks but they are scattered, and no photographic evidence exists,” commented Jennifer Dittmar, stranding coordinator of the National Aquarium’s Marine Rescue Program. “We are working very closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service out of Florida to monitor the animal, but without photos and consistent sightings we are having trouble tracking its movements and assessing its health.”

While there have been several sightings, Aquarium officials have been unable to locate the manatee due to scattered reports. Officials believe that the animal is traveling in and out of the Middle Branch area to search for food, making it hard to track. Additionally, manatees don’t have dorsal fins, as seen on dolphins, making it harder to spot.  The National Aquarium has been monitoring and searching the Baltimore area waterways with hopes that it may spot the animal or figure out its traveling patterns. 

The Mid-Atlantic coast is becoming a popular destination for manatees during the summer season, however, they should instinctively head back south with the start of fall.  Maryland’s water temperatures in the summer months are warm enough for the manatees, and the Chesapeake Bay has an abundance of submerged sea grasses for them to eat along the way. To read about last year’s rescued Florida manatee, Ilya, click here.

The National Aquarium is encouraging people around the area to be alert to the possible presence of this manatee, and to request help in documenting manatee sightings. Reports of sightings can be made to the stranding hotline at 410-373-0083, or by submitting recent photos of the manatee to marp@aqua.org. Please include details about the location of the sighting.

Manatees are large warm-water mammals that feed on sea grasses. They are normally 9-10 ft. long and can weigh over 1000 lbs. Observers should look for nostrils or the smooth back of the animal, or the tell-tale smooth ‘footprint’ created on the surface of the water as they move.

The National Aquarium also reminds local boaters to be aware that the animal is in the vicinity, and to use common sense practices to keep themselves and the manatee safe:

• Boaters in these areas should slow down when traveling by boat in inlets and around shallows to avoid striking the manatee, and observe no wake signs.
• No one should approach the manatee. It is a violation of Federal law to touch, disturb or interact with marine mammals. This includes feeding them – no feeding!
• Keep at least a 50 foot distance. This is for human safety as well – manatees are not aggressive but they are wild animals, not tamed or conditioned to human interaction.

The National Aquarium was joined today by honored guests, esteemed partners, elected officials and supporters from the community to officially unveil the National Aquarium Conservation Center and kick off its celebration of the Baltimore venue’s 30th anniversary year. The Conservation Center enables National Aquarium to become a global leader in conservation, research and education, and to advocate for ocean health issues.

After several years of planning, the National Aquarium and the City of Baltimore have installed a floating wetland in the Harbor! This pilot project attempts to investigate the potential of a new harbor restoration approach for habitat and water quality improvement using floating wetlands.

The goal of the project is to introduce the floating island model to the harbor ecosystem in order to determine if the habitat and water quality improvements seen in other systems are transferrable to Baltimore’s degraded harbor. Floating wetlands have be successful in retention ponds and others small bodies of water,  so scientists are very interested in introducing them to brackish areas such as the Chesapeake Bay.

The 10 x 20-foot island that has a base made of woven recycled plastic, around 450 planted native species and is intended to improve water quality and habitats of the Harbor. Completing the project, however, was no easy task. Installation required a crane, a giant platform and around 100 people. To watch the plan in action, click here.

The multi-layer biomesh island provides strength, a huge surface area for beneficial colonization, and a rooting matrix for vegetation. The vegetation provides an aesthetic island cover as well as habitats and food for a variety of wildlife. 

 Despite poor water quality and its historical status as a dumping ground, the Baltimore Harbor is teeming with life. Aquarium staff monitoring fish activity at Fort McHenry has documented more than twenty five species of fish in the Harbor including Atlantic menhaden, American eel, spot, croaker, yellow perch, white perch, northern pipefish, striped bass, bluefish, and pumpkinseed sunfish. In addition to finfish, the Harbor provides habitat and food sources for blue crabs, snakes, turtles, waterfowl, and small mammals. The installed wetlands could benefit not only the water quality but the animals that live the Harbor as well.

 The Waterfront Partnership has also installed another 200 square feet of floating islands adjacent to the World Trade Center.  Although the project design and implementation on the two island projects have been separate, both groups have designed a monitoring plan with the help of the University of Maryland that will be led by the National Aquarium.  For the next two years, the Aquarium will monitor plant survival and growth, local water improvements, nutrient uptake, fish use, waterfowl uses and debris accumulation. Biologists will also collect structural and functional parameter data.

The island can be spotted behind the ticket counter of the National Aquarium between Pier 3 and 4. Visitors will soon be able read and understand the purpose and benefits of the island from the educational signs posted along the shoreline. The floating wetland may look small, but it could well be a huge first step in meeting the Healthy Harbor Initiative of making the water fishable and swimmable by 2020. Only time will tell if the floating wetlands can contribute to the Healthy Harbor Initiative, but preliminary results are promising.

About Floating Wetlands

• Floating wetlands have previously been designed for use in small, closed systems and have the potential to provide a combination of habitat and water quality improvements.
• They help remove pollutants from waterways; provide habitat for species native to the waterway; and enhance the aesthetics of surrounding areas.
• The floating island becomes an ecosystem that helps to improve water quality via natural processes.

(July 19, 2010 – Baltimore) - Baltimore City’s Congressional Delegation was thanked by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake today for their unrelenting support of the YouthWorks summer jobs program during a press conference held at the National Aquarium.

“Job opportunities for young people have dried up in this difficult economy.”

Congressman John Sarbanes said it right. With unemployment rates on the rise, it is even harder for high school students to find good, high-quality summer jobs. Summer jobs do not only provide extra cash, but they give our youth a sense of responsibility and the skills needed for their future career.

“This year, thanks to a grant sponsored by Congressman John Sarbanes and supported by the entire delegation, our YouthWorks summer jobs program is able to employ 300 young people in career-oriented positions at worksites such as Sinai Hospital, Civic Works and the National Aquarium,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

The congressional delegation acquired a Department of Labor grant that provides six-week summer jobs to Baltimore’s youth and young adults as a part of YouthWorks new Baltimore Career Corps project. This project helps connect youth to jobs at more than 20 various worksites, including the National Aquarium.

The National Aquarium has been an economic engine for the city of Baltimore and state of Maryland for almost 30 years, and is proud to be a worksite for the YouthWorks summer job program. This summer the National Aquarium helped provide jobs to 28 of Baltimore’s youth and young adults.

“We’re very pleased to partner with the city to support our future workforce through the 2010 Youth Works Baltimore Career Corps,” said Paula Schaedlich, chief operating officer for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. “The kids who are participating learn so much during the time they’re with us, and it’s gratifying to help them begin to develop the skills they’ll need to have successful careers.”

Two YouthWork participants from the National Aquarium expressed their graditude for having a job this summer. Dayna King, a senior at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, first worked at the National Aquarium last summer through the YouthWorks program. He was then hired to work at the Aquarium part-time during the school year.

“Summer 2009 was the best summer ever because I had a job,” he said.   

Derrick Murrell, a 2010 Patterson High School graduate, started at the aquarium this summer. He plans to study at TESST College of Technology in the fall.

Baltimore – July 13, 2010 – The National Aquarium, in collaboration with Mote Marine Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University, is conducting a comprehensive study designed to ensure that pre- and post- Deepwater Horizon oil spill impact status of Sarasota Bay is documented as rigorously as possible. This will enable scientists to demonstrate causality between the release of oil and injured resources and/or lost human use of those resources and services. The first phase of this research will provide vital information needed to evaluate the status of this sensitive aquatic environment before potential contamination by the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill.