The dead zone of the Chesapeake Bay — sometimes covered in red and brown algae and deadly to fish — is shrinking, according to a recent study.
The oxygen-depleted zone stretches from the middle of the bay near Baltimore to around Mobjack Bay near Gloucester County. The latest measure is the 10th smallest in 38 years according to a study by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University.
The progress means the bay is getting healthier for aquatic life and safer for humans. Dead zones, which occur when too many algae bloom, can make people sick if they swim in the water. The shrinking dead zone leaves more room for fishing and outdoor recreation.
