Sustainable Seafood in the Chesapeake Bay
If you are interested in locally sourced, in-season seafood but are unsure of where to find accurate and relevant information, a new resource can help. Jade Sevelow-Lee, Virginia Sea Grant’s Outreach Fellow, created an online sustainable seafood guide for the Chesapeake Bay region titled “Seafood by the Seasons”. The guide showcases how to fish and shop sustainably year-round while learning more about the people behind the seafood.
“For fishers, the guide helps highlight the value of their work and the sustainability practices already in place within local fisheries,” said Sevelow-Lee. “For the public, it builds trust and understanding around seafood production while supporting informed purchasing decisions.”
Sevelow-Lee is a Master of Arts student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. Her master’s capstone project examines the habitat ecosystem services provided by oyster aquaculture farms, documented through underwater GoPro footage. As an Outreach Fellow, Sevelow-Lee was able to combine her interests in fisheries and aquaculture with science communication, transforming science-based information into place-based outreach. “Virginia Sea Grant provided mentorship, institutional support, and the flexibility to design a project that both interested me and responded directly to community needs,” said Sevelow-Lee.
Translating the science behind seafood into accessible resources also prompted Sevelow-Lee to consider how to reach people where they already are. “Many people want to make informed seafood choices but don’t always have clear, locally relevant, or trusted resources available to them,” explained Sevelow-Lee. This insight led to the creation of outreach materials that extend beyond the digital space and onto the working waterfront.
In partnership with Gloucester Parks, Recreation, & Tourism, Sevelow-Lee created and installed a physical sign at the Gloucester Point Fishing Pier. This sign features a QR code that allows visitors to access the guide in real time or save it to reference later. Sustainable seafood education belongs on the waterfront, and this installation places information at the intersections of seafood, fishing, and the public. “The sign will turn the fishing pier into a point of education and stewardship, to help protect the Chesapeake Bay while keeping fishing enjoyable and sustainable for generations to come,” remarked Gregg Tonge, parks superintendent of Gloucester Parks, Recreation, & Tourism. “It will help highlight local and seasonal seafood to help sustain local livelihoods.”
By supplementing the online guide with a physical sign and pocket-sized printed guides, the information can reach more people and places. This sustainable seafood guide strengthens connections between the working waterfront, local food systems, and coastal communities. By doing so, it empowers individuals who rely on these food sources to make informed choices that support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture throughout the Chesapeake Bay.
To access the sustainable seafood guide, click here.
Photos and story by Bayleigh Albert | Virginia Sea Grant
Published February 3, 2026
“The project was designed to meet people where they already are—on the working waterfront—and connect everyday seafood choices to science-based information,” Sevelow-Lee said.
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