Southern Maryland

Understand

Southern Maryland's economy used to be fueled by tobacco and watermen. Both activities have declined steeply. Oyster and fish stocks in the Chesapeake Bay have suffered dramatic declines since the 1980s, partly due to overfishing but largely caused by reduced water quality and introduced diseases and parasites. Efforts to improve the water quality of the bay are ongoing but because the bay watershed covers four states they are difficult to coordinate.