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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Return to Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

Projects and Research

Updated May 7, 2026

Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office staff work with our partners to conserve and protect native migratory fish and their habitats, manage aquatic invasive species, and participate in sustainable management of U.S. fisheries. 

Atlantic Sturgeon Cooperative Tagging Program

Sturgeon are in decline, we run a monitoring program, you can help. 

We initiated the coast-wide sturgeon tagging program in 1992. Both species of sturgeon, Atlantic and shortnose, are tagged by state, federal and university partners. Tagging and recapture data are provided to our office.…

Atlantic Striped Bass Cooperative Tagging Program

Tagging programs that informs fishery management decisions.

Horseshoe Crab Cooperative Tagging Program

Informs fishery management decisions and monitors horseshoe crab populations.

Northern Snakehead Control and Management

Northern Snakehead is native to Asia but has successfully colonized the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In 2002, they were first found in a pond in Crofton, MD. Soon after in 2004, snakeheads were found in the Potomac River, and have since been found throughout nearly all of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Northern Snakeheads have also been found in rivers in NY, PA, and AK.

American Eel Restoration

American eel populations have been declining along the Atlantic coast. Although the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries support a large portion of the coastal eel population, until 2009, eels were rarely found in the Susquehanna River watershed. Following the construction of the Conowingo Dam in 1928…

Potomac Headwaters Fish Passage Restoration

The Potomac Headwaters Fish Passage Restoration Project is a watershed scale project to reconnect over 195 miles of habitat for brook trout, American eel, and other aquatic species in the Potomac Headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay across the states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Stream Smart Training Program

Learn more about the Stream Smart training program and resources for anyone interested in planning, designing, or constructing road-stream crossings.

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Projects and Research of Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service