About Us
Formed in 2006, the Maryland Brook Trout Alliance (MBTA) is a partnership of conservation groups, watershed associations, anglers, and others who are working to restore and protect the native brook trout populations in Maryland. It is supporting the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, a pilot project of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, being administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, state natural resource agencies from Maine to Georgia, and private conservation organizations.
The conservation goal addressed by the MBTA is to restore and protect brook trout populations across Maryland. Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are the only trout native to Maryland. Maryland brook trout populations have declined by 90 percent across the state as the result of land-use decisions made over the past hundred years that increased sedimentation, nutrient runoff, and water temperatures, and from more recent impacts as our population, road network, and water needs continue to grow. Once widely distributed throughout the state, results from a recent survey indicate that brook trout are restricted to only a few watersheds. Only 300,000 brook trout now live in Maryland. As a result, they have been listed as a species of Greatest Conservation Need (GCN) by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’Natural Heritage Program.
The purpose of the MBTA is to halt and reverse the impact of stressors that are rapidly decreasing Maryland’s remaining brook trout populations and to reestablish populations wherever possible. The MBTA’s efforts are already gaining substantial momentum. We are developing plans to implement a comprehensive, sustainable, science-based program for Maryland brook trout recovery and protection. In addition, we have already organized multi-disciplined work teams in four key watersheds (Savage, Youghiogheny, Gunpowder, and Monocacy River) where 90 percent of Maryland’s remaining brook trout reside.
The role of these teams is to galvanize stakeholders, resource users, and local and state agencies to advance coordinated habitat protection and restoration projects to improve water quality and insure the future of brook trout in the four watersheds. Three of these large watersheds flow into the Chesapeake Bay. The long-term goal of this statewide project is to implement strategies that sustain healthy, fishable, brook trout populations, which in turn leads to overall healthier watersheds for the state.
The MBTA is now working to enlist more partners. If you want to get involved, send us an e-mail at info@mdbrooktroutalliance.org.