Pages Tagged With: "ocean"
The Delaware Ocean and Bay Activity Guide is one of three core components of the Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan. It serves as an inventory of the marine activities and resource types occurring off Delaware’s coast. Insights into marine activities and current uses, in both a spatial and temporal context, were provided
Activities associated with marine minerals are foundational elements of Delaware’s blue economy and environment. Sand and dredging support coastal resilience by replenishing beaches and maintaining navigable waterways critical for commerce and recreation. These activities also help protect coastal communities from erosion and storm impacts. While no other minerals, including oil, gas and sulfur, are currently
Submarine infrastructure, such as cables and pipelines, along with archaeological resources and artificial reefs, form both the literal and figurative foundation of Delaware’s blue economy and environment. On the seafloor, these structures support essential services like communication, energy transmission and habitat creation. Archaeological resources are records of the past, while artificial reefs enhance biodiversity and
Water quality is a key element in planning for a healthy blue environment. Clean water supports the survival of marine life, sustains critical habitats and ensures safe conditions for recreation and fisheries. Poor water quality, caused by pollutants, excess nutrients or acidification, can lead to harmful algal blooms, habitat degradation and reduced survival in marine
The marine resources off Delaware’s coast are forced to adapt to increased human interactions and disturbances, known as anthropogenic impacts, warming waters and acidification. As essential components of Delaware’s ecosystem, marine resources in the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay provide ecosystem services such as supporting biodiversity, regulating climate, absorbing carbon dioxide and providing clean air.
Marine resource conservation is essential to maintaining a healthy blue environment off Delaware’s coast, ensuring the long-term sustainability of ecosystems that support commercial and recreational activities. By protecting habitats such as deep-sea corals and areas important to breeding populations of marine organisms, conservation efforts help preserve biodiversity and improve water quality. Thoughtful planning that considers
Offshore energy is an emerging facet of Delaware’s blue economy, with offshore wind leading the way in providing clean power, economic investment and job creation. Projects like US Wind’s MarWin and Ørsted’s Skipjack are expected to deliver over a gigawatt of power. Newer technologies and forms of marine energy being explored in other parts of
Maritime activities are vital to Delaware’s blue economy, supporting jobs, economic growth and coastal communities. Marine transportation facilitates the movement of goods through the Port of Wilmington, a key regional hub. Commercial fishing and aquaculture contribute to the state’s seafood industry and cultural heritage, while military operations provide national security and generate local economic activity.
Recreation and tourism play a major role in Delaware’s blue economy, supporting a wide range of businesses in Delaware, such as restaurants, hotels, marinas and sporting goods stores, especially in the summer months when beach visitation is at its peak. Recreation Photo: Sharon Denny The
Every June, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) celebrates Ocean Month, a time dedicated to honoring the state’s rich coastal heritage and the vital role the ocean plays in our environment, economy and way of life. With 381 miles of shoreline, vibrant coastal communities and diverse marine ecosystems, Delaware’s connection to
To celebrate Ocean Month, in June, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is exploring the stories of our connections with the ocean. It starts with an invitation to all to share their own stories of connection with the sea.
Submissions for the Voices of the Tide
Meet the winners of DNREC’s Haiku Poetry Contest, which celebrates June’s Ocean Month.
DNREC’s Coastal Programs is spearheading the development of a Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan to identify responsible management and stewardship practices that are applicable to the use and conservation of marine resources off Delaware’s coast.
Ocean and Bay Planning Area [button
Water runs through our lives and sustains us in many ways, from the most basic physical functions of our bodies to our mental and psychological well-being. We depend on water. We need it to be clean and plentiful.
Nearly 40% of of the US population lives in a coastal county. In Delaware, everyone lives in a coastal county and many of us find ourselves on or near the shore on a daily basis.
Delaware is a coastal state. Most of the land in Delaware is flat and close to sea-level. Our underlying water table is generally high. As a result, drainage and the management of stormwater are important considerations in land use planning, construction, and agriculture.
Climate change is happening now and it affects our everyday lives. We are seeing increased frequency and strength of coastal storms. Rainfall events are becoming more severe. Heat waves are affecting human health and our valuable agricultural sector. And, as a coastal state, we must pay attention to changes in sea levels.
A wetland is simply an area of land that is wet during the growing season. All true wetlands have three characteristics: typical wetland plants, wetland soils, and evidence that water is or can be at or near the surface. Our wetlands provide valuable service to Delaware. Wetlands purify our water. They provide habitat for rare and commercially important plants, fish and animals. And they protect us from flooding.
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife manages nearly 50,000 acres of land that provides habitat for a multitude of wild plants, animals, fish, insects and rare species of all kinds. And it spearheads several important wildlife and habitat conservation and education initiatives, including the Wildlife Species Conservation and Research Program and the Delaware Shorebird Project.
Delaware is rich in natural beauty. Its landscape ranges from the rolling hills of New Castle County, through the coastal marshes and river systems of Kent County, to the woodlands and beaches of Sussex County.
