Who's Who on Smith Island

Rockfish, 'Morone saxatilis' Fishing for rockfish (striped bass) is great on Smith Island spring through fall.	Blue Crab, 'Callinectes sapidus' The Chesapeake blue crab is the primary product of the Smith Island seafood industry.
Great Blue Heron 'Ardea herodias' Great blue herons arrive to nest throughout the Chesapeake watershed around Valentine's Day.	Great Egret, 'Ardea alba' Nesting colonies of this elegant wading bird festoon the trees of Smith Island.
Osprey, 'Pandion haliaetus' This migratory "fish hawk" arrives around St. Patrick's Day and is headed to Central and South America by Thanksgiving.	Royal Terns, 'Sterna maxima' Colonies of royal terns dot the sand spits and beaches of the island.
Brown Pelicans, 'pelicanus occidentalis,' backdropped by 'spartina alterniflora' Brown pelicans have expanded their range north to the Chesapeake with hundreds of pairs nesting on Smith.

The Island and the Chesapeake Bay

The way of life at Smith Island epitomizes man's dependence on his environment. The people of the island have thrived and survived harvesting the bay's abundance - fishing, crabbing, oystering and hunting waterfowl. Smith Island's shallow waters are prime habitat for the underwater eelgrass 'zostera marina' and widgeon grass 'ruppia maritima' that an astonishing variety of bay wildlife depends on for refuge and for food, from waterfowl to blue crabs to sea horses.

These vital grasses are diminishing through-out the bay. Silt caused by construction run-off, pollution, and excess nitrogen and pesticides from farms and gardens are all affecting the bay and the health of the submerged grasses. In an attempt to restore grasses in other parts of the bay, eelgrass seeds have recently been harvested in the waters between Smith and Crisfield.

Visiting Smith Island you can't help but notice how flat the land is. High ground is just a few feet above sea level. In extraordinary winds and tides the island has flooded. If you have ever wondered if global warming really matters - think of Smith Island.

We hope that after a taste of Smith Island, you will remember the islanders, and make some change in your life to help continue the Smith Island way of life.