In a Blue Crab Advisory Report released Monday, the Chesapeake Bay Program is encouraging jurisdictions to take a "risk-averse" approach and consider scaling back the fall fishery so young crabs have a chance to grow and spawn next year.
The recommendation comes as the estimate for adult female crabs this year actually increased by 30 percent over last year, to 254 million. That's higher than the target of 215 million considered a healthy female population.
But plummeting juvenile numbers dragged down the overall blue crab population by almost 18 percent, from 553 million last year to 455 million this year.
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Can prices get any higher ? It's not worth going out to eat them.
ReplyDeleteOver the winter they said the number were up and the best they have seen in years. Funny how this comes out the week before the 4th of July. Retailers are thieves. Buy directly from a crabber or crab house.
ReplyDeleteYes please! Buyers don't pay us jack!
Deletestop harvest of all females as a start
ReplyDeleteI thought that back in the early Spring that these guys were boasting of an excess of crabs. What gives?
ReplyDeleteA mere 5 weeks ago (Mid May) reports of bountiful future harvests registered along the Delmarva area. Now this?? HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH
ReplyDeleteEvery single year, OUR crab industry seems to be focused on 3 holidays: Memorial, 4th July and Labor Day to price gouge! Can we blame them really - seems everyone else does the exact same.
Funny how the same type of crabs are way less especially Monday-Thursdays. Hell in OC, the prices goes up $20-30 on Friday, then 30-40 on Saturday, only to drop again at weeks beginning. Such a joke and buying from the boats directly are ALWAYS cheaper than a businesses.
It is what it is, never will change...pretty much the same with gasoline. Wind blows in the Gulf and prices jump...crabs plentiful to get the folks excited - THEN BAM, oh no...not enough males...or water was too warm in the winter...or the Rock Fish...or hell froze over.
Whatever!
Isn't it amazing how one organization comes out and says there's more then normal crabs for this season and then another comes out saying there's a shortage. Its all about the money.
ReplyDeleteOld Mill is 45$ for all you can eat and some of the crabs were huge but when you opened them up, they were empty
ReplyDeletewhatever happened to getting a 12 pack, some pieces of chicken and a friend or two and getting your own crabs?
ReplyDelete2:40 NRP busting you for illegal crabbing, size violations, drinking in public, BWI, etc.
ReplyDeleteI found a small crab house that I can get 1/2 bushels of #1s for $45. Just bought a 1/2 on Sunday. Hard to beat that price.
If someone could give some names of who to contact to buy half or full bushel, that would be GREAT! I'd rather give them my money and cut out the middle man!
ReplyDeleteGo to Nanticoke harbor, deal island or crisfield between 10am and noon or so. The person you seek will be arriving in a workboat wearing white boots.
ReplyDeletewell lets see, va lets the waterman drag the crabs up outta the mud during the winter months, size limit is smaller the md and they take females. i dont see any problems here.
ReplyDeleteyea the ol blue crab don't stand a chance in the bay, between pollution, over fishing and letting the rock-fish rein supreme. how did they come up with those numbers.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete2:40 NRP busting you for illegal crabbing, size violations, drinking in public, BWI, etc.
I found a small crab house that I can get 1/2 bushels of #1s for $45. Just bought a 1/2 on Sunday. Hard to beat that price.
June 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM
How is it illegal? All you need is a fishing license correct? Or have more communist laws been passed? You don't have to be in a boat to crab, and you would have to be over the limit to get a charge, I would think. (although no guarantee anymore) Don't take undersized crabs. I have drunk in public with no problems in the past, just not in a city/town,(with uptight people) just don't flaunt it or act drunk.
But if I have to worry about all that crap, maybe you're right. Just not worth the hassle to have some fun and feed yourself.
10:59 every year, same with oysters. On the bright side they've told us the bay is cleaner. Never had a problem filling a basket in the 60's and 70's when the bay was "dirty".
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