130,000 H-2B Visas available for fiscal year 2023

DELMARVA – 130,000 H-2B Visas are now available for the fiscal year 2023.

this means that crabbers on Delmarva will have more help to tackle the season. However as the season is now wrapping up, some watermen believe this would have been helpful earlier in the season. They’ve been waiting since the 15th of June for more availability and now it’s here. 47 ABC reached out to captain Robert Newberry with Delmarva Fisheries to learn more about what he’s seeing on the bay.

“We could have used them this year, it would have been a little bit better for everybody. I talked to a couple of the pickers in Hoopers Island, they’re frustrated a little bit but they know next year is going to be a good year and they’ll be able to have the pickers for next year,” says Captain Robert Newberry, Chairman of the Delmarva Fisheries Association.

Captain Newberry says it’ll be about a week before they get workers out there. The visa program is essential for staffing Maryland’s crab industry.

“If you talk to any waterman up and down the bay, it started off bad but they’re catching so many crabs right now, it’s fantastic, guys are making a lot of money for the last 3 or 4 weeks,” the Captain says.

U.S Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin issued the following statement:

“Maryland’s seafood industry is powered by many Eastern Shore small businesses that process the crabs enjoyed across our region. That’s why it’s critical for the administration to work with us to help meet these businesses’ unique employment needs. We are encouraged that DHS is working proactively to make the maximum number of H-2B visas available in the new fiscal year, while ensuring they are distributed in a manner that takes into account our Maryland businesses and their needs. At the same time, we will continue our efforts in Congress to develop a lasting solution that provides clearer, more certain rules of the road for our seafood businesses, while protecting the rights of workers,” the Senators said.