DNR Enhances Online Fishing Content Just In Time For The Start Of Rockfish Trophy Season

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ANNAPOLIS — With one of the most exciting fishing opportunities in the state starting tomorrow, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is giving anglers a leg-up on the striped bass trophy season by enhancing the fishing content on its DNR Online website, www.dnr.maryland.gov. Visitors to the website will notice three main enhancements to the fishing content: the inclusion of a “Fishing in Maryland” content area, a reorganized “Fish and Shellfish” resource management content area and the ability to submit information electronically for the Cooperative Striped Bass Survey.

“With the new fishing content area, anyone from an experienced angler to a novice can learn about fishing in Maryland, including how to and where to fish,” said Gene Deems, DNR’s eGov and Online Services Manager. “We’ve essentially created a better, user-friendly format for fishing content with the intent of improving customer service and presenting the activity as fun and easy.”

For “Fishing in Maryland,” DNR partnered with Takemefishing.org to create a new content area which will help anglers enjoy the best fishing experience possible. Takemefishing.org is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. “Fishing in Maryland” has information on where to get a fishing license, find a body of water to fish on, learn how to catch fish, and much more. It can be found at

The revised “Fish and Shellfish” content area is found under “Resource Management.” Reorganized information and improved navigation will give visitors a better understanding of Maryland’s individual fisheries and how they are managed. Visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/ to learn more.

In an effort to expand customer service to anglers, DNR is now enabling participants in the Cooperative Striped Bass Survey to submit their data online at their convenience, 24 hours a day. The data collected from the survey will help DNR determine the size structure of striped bass caught by recreational anglers along Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast. The Cooperative Striped Bass Survey can be found online at www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/survey/sbsurveyintro.shtml.

As always, DNR anglers are reminded that they can now purchase fishing licenses online at www.dnr.maryland.gov/service/index.asp.

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April 15, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov