ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Governor Wes Moore commissioned University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Professor Thomas Miller as the 111th Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay during a ceremony at the Board of Public Works meeting on October 1, 2025. The award recognizes lifetime achievements in conserving and restoring the Chesapeake Bay, highlighting Miller’s decades of work in fisheries science and management. A resident of Solomons in Calvert County, Miller has focused his career on advancing scientific approaches to sustain key Bay species, including blue crabs.
“Thomas Miller has dedicated his career to understanding and applying the best science available to support Maryland’s fisheries and the ecosystem,” said Governor Moore. “His work has helped to bring together the cooperative crab fishery that we have today in the Chesapeake Bay. The studies and policy discussions developed by Professor Miller are informing how we manage changing conditions in the Bay caused by climate change and invasive predators. His work will help ensure we have a sustainable long-term future for blue crabs as well as other culturally and economically important Chesapeake Bay species.”
Miller, who joined the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons as an assistant professor in 1994, has contributed to the modern framework for managing Maryland’s recreational and commercial fisheries. His early involvement addressed cooperation between Maryland and Virginia on the blue crab fishery, relying on surveys and data to guide decisions. In 2000 and 2001, he served on the Bi-State Blue Crab Advisory Committee, leading researcher meetings that concluded rising fishing pressure risked the crab population’s viability. The committee’s 2001 Action Plan introduced Bay-wide thresholds to curb overfishing, which both states still employ.
Since then, Miller has emerged as a key figure in Bay research, influencing management for species like menhaden and dolphins alongside blue crabs. He applies his expertise to advise policymakers on complex issues, currently serving on the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and as a scientific advisor to various federal and state agencies. His research integrates laboratory experiments, field studies, and population modeling to address ecology and fisheries dynamics. Publications under his name include evaluations of blue crab population synchronization along the Atlantic coast and contributions to ecosystem-based fisheries management briefs.
The Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay award, established in 1959 by Governor J. Millard Tawes, stands as Maryland’s top honor for environmental contributions to the Bay. It has recognized 110 individuals before Miller, including scientists, community leaders, and restoration experts. In January 2025, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources opened public nominations for the award for the first time, aiming to broaden recognition of conservation efforts. Past recipients include University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science professors Donald Boesch and Walter Boynton in 2015, and Salisbury University professor Michael Horton that same year, all noted for their roles in Bay science and policy.
Miller’s base at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory underscores the facility’s longstanding role in Bay conservation. Founded in 1925 by Reginald Truitt, the lab in Solomons represents the oldest continuously operating state-supported marine laboratory on the East Coast. It evolved from Truitt’s fisheries management research, becoming part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in 1973. The lab’s historic district, with buildings dating to 1931, supports studies on estuarine ecosystems, water quality, and species sustainability. In 2025, the center marked its centennial, celebrating a century of advancing environmental science in the region.
For Southern Maryland communities, where the Patuxent River meets the Bay in areas like Solomons, such conservation work directly supports local economies tied to commercial and recreational fishing. The blue crab fishery, a cornerstone managed through Miller’s influenced thresholds, generates jobs for watermen in Calvert, St. Mary’s, and Charles counties. Efforts under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint aim to reduce pollution, enhancing water quality that bolsters seafood industries and tourism. Culturally, the Bay sustains traditions among watermen families, with oystering, crabbing, and fishing practices passed down generations, as seen in African American watermen histories in nearby Anne Arundel County. Land conservation projects in the watershed, including those in Southern Maryland, protect habitats that maintain these livelihoods.
Broader Bay management, informed by experts like Miller, addresses challenges such as invasive species and climate impacts, ensuring resilience for economically vital species. The Chesapeake, the largest U.S. estuary, drains portions of six states and supports diverse ecosystems. Initiatives like the 2010 Virginia Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan reflect interstate cooperation Miller helped foster. In Southern Maryland, where rural landscapes and waterways define daily life, these scientific advancements aid in balancing resource use with preservation, contributing to a sustainable future for residents reliant on the Bay’s health.
