Early registration for the 2026 Tidewater Chapter meeting is open through February 13th! Note that abstract submission closes February 13th.
Lodging Options
Sleep Inn $119/$129 per night for 1 king/2 double beds. Call 240-237-3436 and ask for the Group name: “Tidewater American Fisheries Society”. Block held until March 9.
Holiday Inn $130 per night. Reserve by calling 240-237-1444 and ask for the Group name: “Tidewater American Fisheries Society” or online through this link. Block held until Feb 18.
Quality Inn Beacon Marina $82/$87/$122 per night for 1 king/2 queens/1 king with jacuzzi. Reserve online through this link. Block held until March 5.
Solomons Inn Resort and Marina $139/$149 per night for 1 king/2 double beds. Call 800-356-2009 or 410-326-6311 and give the group code CBL3256. Block held until Feb 17.
2026 Meeting Schedule-At-A-Glance
Thursday, March 19
Field trips: There will be two events available for folks that arrive early on Thursday.
Tour of the R/V Carson: Join us at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory for a tour of the R/V Rachel Carson led by Captain Michael H. Hulme, Director of Marine Operations for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The Carson is an 81-foot vessel that supports cruises for estuarine and near-coastal research. The Carson has supported 16 years of diverse marine science projects and is equipped to provide scientists with dredging, trawling, coring, water quality observation, plankton sampling, and buoy deployment opportunities. The tentative timeframe is 1:30pm – 2:30pm. More information on the R/V Rachel Carson can be found here (https://www.umces.edu/research-fleet). Please note that this event is limited to the first 20 registered participants.
Fossil/Shark Tooth Collection at Calvert Cliffs: Calvert Cliffs State Park contains massive cliffs that were formed over 10 to 20 million years ago. Over 600 species of fossils have been identified in these cliffs and can be found at Calvert Cliffs State Park. Join us for an easy 3.80 mile walk through a freshwater and tidal marshland to the shoreline of the park where we will have the opportunity to search for shark teeth and other fossils. The tentative timeframe is 12:00pm – 3:00pm. More information on Calvert Cliffs State Park can be found here (https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/southern/calvertcliffs.aspx). Please note that transportation to this event is not provided.
Poster Session: In the evening, we will have our poster session with a buffet-style meal at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.
Friday, March 20
Plenary talks and oral presentations: Presentations will be held at the University System of Maryland's Southern Maryland Campus.
Student-mentor lunch: Please sign up to be a mentor for our traditional student-mentor lunch. We are working on options for lunch on site or at local restaurants.
Banquet at the Calvert Marine Museum: Our conference dinner will be set in the foyer and conference hall at the Calvert Marine Museum. The museum will be opened prior to dinner so that attendees can view the exhibits, including the natural history/aquarium section! We will have our raffle and announce Chapter awards.
Saturday, March 21
Oral presentations: Professional oral presentations will be provided in the morning at the University System of Maryland's Southern Maryland Campus.