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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES CHESAPEAKE BAY BLUE CRAB POPULATION IS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE 1997
Winter Dredge Survey Results Indicate 60% Increase;
658 Million Crabs Show Bi-State Management Actions Continue to Improve Abundance
KENT NARROWS, MD (April 14, 2010) — Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley announced today that the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has increased substantially for the second straight year. The results of the most recent winter dredge survey show a dramatic 60% increase in Maryland’s crab population. The survey indicates that 2008 management measures put into place through a historic collaboration with Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission are continuing to pay dividends with the crab population at its highest level since 1997.
Governor O’Malley made the announcement from the Crab Deck at Fisherman’s Inn in Kent Narrows.
“Today, we can see firsthand what progress looks and feels like on the Chesapeake Bay. Today, because of the unprecedented partnership between Maryland and Virginia and tough decisions over the past two years, the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is estimated to be 658 million crabs — a 60 percent increase over last year and the highest total population estimate since 1997,” said Governor O’Malley. “While we are making progress, our work is not done and we are committed to working with our partners to achieve our ultimate goal of a self-sustaining fishery that will support our industry and recreational fisheries over the long term.”
The population estimate is the result of the 2009-2010 bay-wide winter dredge survey conducted annually by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Last year, the survey estimated 400 million crabs overwintered in the Chesapeake Bay.
In 2008, Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) took strong, coordinated action to reduce harvest pressure on female crabs by 34 percent. At that time, scientists from all three jurisdictions deemed conservation measures necessary as blue crab suffered near historic lows in spawning stock.
“While great strides have been made to rebuild our environmentally and economically important crab population, more work remains to be done with our steadfast Maryland partners,” said Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. “Two years does not make a trend. The scientific evidence shows our management measures are working but we need to continue along this path in order to ensure the Bay's crab population returns to robustness and remains at that level.”
The 2008 conservation measures resulted in a large increase in the number of adults in the Bay during the 2009 spawning season, and this year’s survey confirms that success has carried over into a healthy spawn. Crab reproduction this year was the sixth highest in the 21-year survey. The abundance of adult female and male crabs also rose again this year, bringing the estimated number of adult, spawning-age crabs to 315 million, well above the interim target level of 200 million.
In addition, preliminary indications are that the 2009 bay-wide harvest level was approximately 53 million pounds. This harvest equates to approximately 43 percent of the population, which is below the target harvest level of 46 percent. Watermen actually harvested more crabs this past season than in 7 of the past 10 years, confirming the long-held belief that a healthy harvesting industry can coexist with regulations that protect the long term health of the blue crab population.
“The final piece of the story will be confirmation from NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee (CBSAC) that harvest levels did indeed remain below our target of harvesting no more than 46 percent of the blue crab population each year,” said Lynn Fegley, Assistant Director of DNR’s Fisheries Service. This is key to maintaining a healthy population.”
In 7 of the 10 years between 1998 and 2007, the annual removal of blue crabs exceeded the maximum safe removal level of 53 percent.
“Two years after initiating new management strategies, we are cautiously optimistic about the future of our blue crab. This abundance represents terrific opportunity for commercial and recreational crabbers to realize an increased catch, in less time and at less cost, under current rules,” DNR Secretary John Griffin. “Based on the final assessment, Maryland, Virginia and the PRFC may consider modest management modifications by early summer. That said, we are committed to working with our partners to ensure we do not lose the ground that we have gained, and any changes would be based on continuing to remove no more than 46 percent of available crabs during any given year. History has shown us that abundance can change quickly, as evidenced by record 1993 and 1997 levels that were immediately followed by dramatic drops.”
The Bay-wide blue crab winter dredge survey is the primary survey used to assess the condition of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population. Since 1990, the survey has employed crab dredges to sample blue crabs at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay from December through March. By sampling during winter when blue crabs are buried in the mud and stationary, scientists can develop, with good precision, estimates of the number of crabs present in the Bay.
Estimates of abundance are developed separately for young of the year crabs, mature female crabs, and adult male crabs. Together, these groups of crabs will support the 2010 fishery and produce the next generation of crabs.
“The substantial rise in abundance of mature crabs and juveniles was clearly a response of the crab population to unprecedented management actions, such as the closure of the winter dredge fishery, by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and partner agencies. The increase was neither a random event nor a reflection of improved environmental conditions,” said Dr. Rom Lipcius who directs the VIMS component of the dredge survey. “From here on, we have to maintain the population at these levels to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Chesapeake Bay stock.”
In 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley and Team Maryland asked the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare the Chesapeake Bay crab fishery a federal disaster due to the historic low blue crab population. Under the leadership of Senator Barbara Mikulski, the Congressional Delegation secured $15 million in crab disaster funds from NOAA‘s National Marine Fisheries Service for Maryland to help rescue the crab population and provide needed economic relief to the commercial fishing industry. Governor O’Malley and the Maryland General Assembly also directed $6 million in capital funding to the effort during fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
The funds are supporting a variety of efforts including license buybacks (to date, more than 600 Limited Commercial Crab Catcher Licenses have been retired), electronic reporting, processing equipment upgrades and restoration work being conducted by approximately 900 Maryland watermen. Under one such project, watermen removed nearly 8,000 abandoned crab pots or crab pot fragments from Maryland waterways in February and March of this year.
In December of last year, Governor O’Malley released an Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development Plan, a multi-faceted effort to rebuild Maryland’s decimated native oyster population. The plan builds on efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay and expand oyster sanctuaries and aquaculture leasing opportunities. Since 1994, the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population has languished at one percent of historic levels; quality oyster bars have decreased 70 percent from 200,000 to 36,000 (70 percent decrease) and the number of harvesters has dwindled from 2,000 in the mid 1980s to just over 500 annually since 2002. Today there are only eight oyster processing companies in Maryland, down from 58 in 1974.
(Salisbury, MD) In a few short weeks, many hundreds of Poodles and Poodle owners from all over the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan will descend upon Salisbury and the result will be nothing short of "Magic."
The 78th annual Poodle Club of America National Specialty Dog show will be held in Salisbury, Maryland the week of April 26-30th at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, 500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury, Maryland 21804. The event is all Poodles, all varieties; Toy, Miniature and Standard, all the time, for five days. The show is free of charge and open to the public. Poodle Club of America is very grateful to Purina, Oster Professional Products and Wicomico County Tourism for their generous support of the show.
The Civic Center is magically transformed for the week. The interior of the arena is laid with sod to provide the best footing possible for the Poodles and their handlers. The exhibition rings are decorated with elaborate flower arrangements, which last year featured several life-sized topiaries of white standard Poodles. The Midway Room in the Civic Center becomes a dog-loving shoppers’ paradise. And the rear parking lot becomes an RV campground complete with electric hookups, barbeque grills, tents and lawn chairs.
The show actually begins off-site in Elkton, Maryland with tracking tests on Friday, April 23rd, followed by a retriever hunt test on Saturday, April 24th and working tests on Sunday, April 25th in Rhodesdale, Maryland. These events conclude with a banquet dinner in the Civic Center Sunday evening.
On Monday, April 26th, all three varieties of Poodles compete in Agility, complete with the weave poles, tunnels and jumps. New in Agilityat PCA this year will be FAST classes. The highest achievement for a dog and handler pair in Agility is Highest Score in Trial. On Tuesday, April 27th, the Poodles compete in Obedience and Rally Obedience. New in Rally this year is a pairs novice class. The Obedience classes include brace (two Poodles and one handler) and team (4 Poodles and 4 handlers). The highest achievement in Obedience is the High in Trial Award.
On Wednesday, April 28th, all the handsome male Poodles come out to strut their stuff in the Breed Conformation rings. Toy Poodles, Miniature Poodles and Standard Poodles, ranging in age from six months to several years of age, compete against their own age group, eight classes in all, vying for the coveted title of “Winners Dog.” Junior Showmanship, the opportunity for young people, ages 8 to 18 to demonstrate their handling skills, follows the dog classes. On Thursday, April 29th, all the beautiful girl Poodles step onto the turf to compete against one another, just as the boys did, but this time for the title of “Winners Bitch.” Veterans’ Sweepstakes, classes for dogs and bitches ages 7 and up, follows the bitch classes. Finally on Friday, the “Best of the Best,” the so-called “Specials” Poodles of all three varieties come out to compete for Best of Variety and ultimately, Best Poodle in show. To see a large arena filled with the best Poodles from all over the world competing against one another is truly a sight to behold, truly Magic.
But there are other aspects to the week beyond the dog show competition. On Tuesday, from 9am to 2:30pm, the PCA Foundation welcomes Dr. Ronald D. Schultz, Professor and Chair of Pathobiological Services, at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, as their speaker. Dr. Schultz’ talk is titled, “What Everyone Needs to Know About Canine Vaccines and Vaccination Programs.” This event is free of charge and open to the public.
Throughout the week, the Foundation is offering various health testing opportunities, including blood draws for an NIH study, OptiGen tests, a CERF clinic, and DNA sampling for a cancer study. At the conclusion of the Obedience competition, there will be a Parade of AKC Companion and Performance titleholders. This will be followed by AKC Canine Good Citizen testing.
Tuesday’s activities will conclude with a Cocktail Party from 5 to 7pm at The Fountains, next to the Country Inn & Suites, for the benefit of Poodle Club of America Rescue Foundation and the Humane Society of Wicomico County. This fundraiser is open to the public. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased in the Civic Center at the Rescue booth or at The Fountains through Monday, April 26th. A very limited number of tickets will be available at the door. This event features a Chinese Auction filled with interesting and exciting prizes, including 4 field-level tickets to a Mets/Phillies game, autographed CD’s from Stephen Sondheim, a custom-made dog bed, and baskets filled with things from Australia, Japan, Texas, and New Mexico, to name just a few.
The Parade of AKC Breed Champions is held at the conclusion of dog conformation judging on Wednesday. The ring is filled with dogs that have completed their Champion titles, and it is a beautiful thing to see them back again, showing off for the crowd. Most never forget their ring experience and love to “go around” one more time. At the conclusion of the Parade, approximately 4pm, Poodle Club of America Rescue Foundation welcomes Animal Communicator, Anita Curtis to their annual meeting in the Da Nang Room in the Civic Center. Anita will share stories and the knowledge she has gained in her 30 plus years’ experience helping animals. Her books will be available for purchase and signing after the talk. This event is free of charge and open to the public.
For additional information about any event for the 78th Annual Poodle Club of America National Specialty Dog show visit www.Poodleclubofamerica.org and click on PCA Events; at the dropdown menu, select “National Specialty.”
