Chesapeake Bay crab harvest limits relaxed as population sees slight rebound

DELMARVA – Maryland officials are lifting certain crab bushel limits, as similar rules are being rolled back in Virginia.

Crab Population Sees Slight Promise

Last year was the first year that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) restricted male crab harvest in peak season. The limit was put in place to help protect the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population; it saw record low numbers last year.

Following the results of a winter dredge survey in 2022 and 2023, researchers saw a 40% population increase, to the tune of 323 million crabs in total.

“The abundance went up for all three of the different sectors that we keep an eye on; females, males, and juvenile crabs,” said Michael Luisi, Assistant Director for MDNR Fishing and Boating Services. “The increase for the males and the juveniles is still at a pretty low point, when you compare it to the historical time series for the survey.”

Changes in Maryland

The Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee recommended that any changes made should be gradual, says Luisi. MDNR lifted the male crab harvest limit over Labor Day weekend. For female crabs, the limit was loosened. Additionally, four days of limited male harvesting were added in the beginning of October, to offset the Labor Day pass. Reduced bushel limits for recreational crabbers will remain in place.

“The purpose for us putting in the rules that we did was to increase the probability of success for the next generation of crabs. Crabs don’t live very long,” said Luisi. “Within one year, you can have a boom or bust situation pretty easily.”

However, this isn’t a full opening of the flood gates. There are still rules to follow for watermen, in an effort to keep that population growing.

“Not only did we still have a low abundance; but, our analysis indicated that we had been, over the past two years, harvesting more male crabs than what science indicates as being a healthy, sustainable harvest,” Luisi. “The other parts of our review indicated that we were not overfishing the female population, which means that we weren’t taking more than what we could have taken.”

Changes in Virginia

Across state lines, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) also used survey results to alter their rules. Both MDNR and VMRC use female crab populations as a benchmark.

“We saw the worst numbers in the 32-year survey for juveniles and adult males. The females took about a 38% reduction from the previous year,” said VMRC Chief of Fisheries Management Division, Patrick Geer.

Last year, each jurisdiction in Virginia agreed to cut back on crab harvest by 10%; officials extended the low-bushel period from 15 days to about 120.

This year, the largest crabbing operations will get to pull up eight more bushels a day. Geer says it’s in the name of equity, and recovering economically.

“The cuts were disproportionate, depending on what kind of license you had. So, if you had the larger license, which is 425 pots, you were taking almost a 43% reduction in harvest,” said Geer. “This way, everybody is getting a 20- to 25% reduction on those days.”

Cautious Optimism, Asking For Feedback

“We don’t expect to see a large increase in harvest this year in Virginia, primarily because only about 64% of crabbers catch their bushel limit on a given day,” said Geer. “There are a lot of economic variables that go into this, as well. If the price isn’t that great, they’re going to jump into another fishery where they can make more money.”

Later this summer, VMRC will ask crabbers for feedback on the changes. “Let’s look at how the spring and summer are going. And, if things are going okay, we may be able to increase harvest. It gives us an option of looking at it,” said Geer.

Geer says researchers typically do a stock assessment of the bay’s crab population every five years; however, the last one was in 2011. Now, they’re gearing up for another one, expected to be done in 2025, in time for the 2026 season.

“What we’ve been doing since 2011 is pretty much just a maintenance assessment each year, where look at how things are going,” said Geer. “With this new assessment, we may start looking at the male numbers, as well.”

Confident About Crabs

Local watermen say they’re feeling good about this year’s harvest. But, that’s not all because of the changes made. In fact, Captain Robert Newberry of the Delmarva Fisheries Association says the promise is being seen through the watermen’s own eyes.

“Very seldom do you ever see sponge crabs in the northern bay, like north of the Bay Bridge. They’re seeing a lot of sponge crabs this year. They’re seeing a lot of pregnant female crabs,” said Capt. Newberry. “When you have a question about the crabs, you ask a waterman; not someone who sits behind a desk.”

Capt. Newberry predicts an “excellent fall season of crabs.” Adding, number one crabs’ market prices are already hovering between $120 and $160 per bushel.

Sticking to Their Senses

And, as researchers plan to recount the crab population in the future, Capt. Newberry says he and other watermen will likely stick to their senses, as they were “very critical” of the winter survey.

“Last year, we said the same thing: the crabs will be fine. It will be the same way this year. Everybody’s catching crabs right now. It’s picked up for everybody,” he said. “They’re not going away. They might just move around and be in different places, but they’ll still be here, unless something catastrophic happens.”

Beyond that, Capt. Newberry already has some recommendations for officials that govern crab harvest:

“When [we] went and looked at [the crabs] this year, [we] found them in shallower water, because the core temperature of the Bay was one of the warmest we had on record this year. It never got below 40 degrees,” said Capt. Newberry. “Maybe they should take some input from the watermen on where the crabs might be.”