Maryland’s commercial oyster harvest limits will remain unchanged for the 2026-2027 season, according to a public notice from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.  The decision keeps the same daily harvest limits, seasons, legal size requirements and other commercial regulations that were in place during the previous season.  According to DNR, the commercial season will run from Oct. 1 through March 31 for hand tong, patent tong, and dive fisheries. Power dredge and sail dredge fisheries will operate from Nov. 1 through March 31. The minimum legal oyster size will remain 3 inches, and existing oyster sanctuary protections and harvest area closures will stay in effect. The Statewide Oyster Industry Committee, which includes representatives from 11 county watermen’s associations, voted in June in support of maintaining the current bushel limits. According to the foundation, keeping harvest limits unchanged is intended to avoid flooding the market with additional oysters and driving prices lower.  

A lightning strike caused around 40 acres to catch on fire Saturday night in Queenstown, according to fire officials.  A number of local fire departments on the Mid-Shore including Kent Island, Centreville, Easton , and Queenstown  responded just after 8 p.m. Saturday. Fire Department officials said the fire impacted an estimated 40 acres of a large field at 140 Deer Landing Lane, just east of Queenstown. The two-alarm fire was controlled thanks to joint response from firefighters and farmers. Farmers were notified of the fire and used disc plows to quell the blaze.