Maryland DNR Working Waterfronts Initiative Premiers Working Waterfronts Video

June 27, 2015

In 2007, under Senate Bill 414, the Maryland General Assembly established the Maryland Working Waterfront Commission comprised of State agency representatives, elected officials, resource-based industry development entities and local watermen. The Commission was tasked to evaluate and make recommendations about how the State could preserve the commercial fishing industry’s access to public trust waters.  In 2008 the Commission generated its final report.

DNR’s Chesapeake and Coastal Service (CCS) recognizes that the history, culture, and community identity of our coastal communities is inextricably linked to the existence of the working waterfront. In order to assist with the preservation of existing and historic working waterfronts in Maryland, CCS is building from the work of the Commission and engaging partners to conduct an inventory of working waterfronts throughout the state. Future work will be undertaken to analyze the socio-economic impacts of working waterfronts and to develop financing and policy strategies for preservation. A working waterfront program is under development and may include local planning/zoning assistance, tax-incentives, purchased development rights/easements, and coordination with other state and local economic development programs.

Most recently DNR hosted the Working Waterfronts Exchange at the Governor’s Hall at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge, MD 21613.  DNR premiered this video at the Exchange.