![]() The reduced abundance of juveniles and males could make crabs scarce later this summer and into the fall-impacting not only people who like to eat crabs, but also the commercial fishery. Crab harvests are very dependent on the survival of young crabs from one year to the next, creating instability in the fishery. In the short-term, the 2021 dredge survey results aren't entirely outside the normal range of annual population fluctuations, but the extremely low estimate of juvenile crabs raises the need for caution. What does the current status of blue crabs, as well as the long-term trends we are seeing, mean for the health of the Bay? What are some potential effects on fish, wildlife, and humans? However, the number of adult females, the segment of the population we look at most closely to gauge the overall health of the population, increased from an estimated 141 million to 158 million, a number within the margins considered to be a healthy stock. The decline is primarily due to a steep drop in juvenile crabs to their lowest level since the survey began in 1990, though a reduced number of adult males also contributed. The 2021 winter dredge survey showed a 30 percent decline in the total crab population, from an estimated 405 million to 282 million. What are the long-term and short-term trends we are seeing in the blue crab population? Beginning in 1997, a comprehensive review of those results is completed annually by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee and released in early July. After the data are compiled and analyzed, the results are released around late April. This work is usually completed from December through March when crabs are in semi-hibernation along the seabed. The survey is conducted by randomly sampling approximately 1,500 sites in the Bay and its tributaries with a depth of at least 5 feet. The winter dredge survey is one of the most comprehensive surveys of any species in the Bay, dating back more than 30 years to 1990. How do we measure the current status of blue crabs in the Bay?Įach winter, Maryland and Virginia partner on a winter dredge survey, which produces an estimate of the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In fact, cobia are such voracious predators of blue crabs they are sometimes referred to as "crabeaters". Some of the more common Bay species that eat blue crabs include red drum, croaker, blue catfish and cobia. ![]() Blue crabs support one of the Bay's most valuable commercial fisheries and a large recreational fishery.įrom an ecosystem perspective, blue crabs of all sizes serve as forage (food) for a wide variety of fish, birds, and, yes, even other blue crabs (blue crabs are quite cannibalistic). What are blue crabs and why are they important for the Bay?īlue crabs are known as the "beautiful swimmer," and there are a number of positive effects of a healthy blue crab population.įirst-and what is probably on the minds of most people living in the Bay watershed-is the benefit that there will be more crabs to catch and eat. ![]()
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