BALTIMORE — The Captain of the Port (COTP) Maryland-National Capital Region set seasonal alert status Thursday for the Upper Chesapeake Bay.Seasonal alert status is the posture set from Dec. 15 to March 31 to prepare for the potential presence of ice.Within the Coast Guard Sector Maryland-NCR COTP Zone, navigable waters can be affected by early ice formation in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and Upper Potomac River, including the ports of Baltimore and Washington.COTP Maryland-NCR may establish additional requirements for specific geographical areas of the COTP zone if conditions warrant such restrictions.Ice-related vessel and/or waterway restrictions are announced via Coast Guard broadcast notices to mariners five times daily at 3 a.m., 7:05 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. local time on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 22A.The status for local waterways can also be located by calling the Sector Maryland-NCR ice line at 410-576-2682.The status and extent of these restrictions are continuously evaluated as ice condition reports are received and assessed.Mariners observing any ice conditions are asked to report this information to the Coast Guard via marine band radio VHF-FM channel 16, by calling 410-576-2693 or via email at D05-DG-SectorMD-NCR-Prevention-WWM@uscg.mil.For breaking news, follow the 5th District on Twitter @USCGMidAtlantic .