Maryland Sea Grant: Blue Crab Workshop

Summary

There is clearly strong support for significantly improving Baywide management of blue crabs as evidenced by widespread stakeholder concern. The BBCAC, along with its Technical Work Group, has issued a consensus statement that galvanized this point. Furthermore, Virginia has already taken regulatory action to ban summertime harvesting in a spawning sanctuary, and, reduce the number of peeler pots allowed to be fished. Further management changes are expected beginning in the 2001 crabbing season. There is strong agreement throughout the Bay watershed that developing a better understanding of issues related to reproductive biology, physiology, habitat requirements, anthropogenic factors and improved production of soft shell crabs are all major factors that, over the long term, will enhance the ability to sustainably manage this resource.

From this convening of Maryland researchers, it is clear that strong scientific expertise resides throughout the Bay region to begin making substantive progress on these issues. It was also clear that there are numbers of opportunities for constructive collaboration among scientists with very different backgrounds and approaches in addressing these issues. Because of concern over the blue crab resource expressed by federal and state agencies, legislators and important stakeholder interests, a receptive climate exists for the support of innovative research that can forge strong collaborations for addressing the complex issues detailed in this report. Solving these issues that will be essential for ensuring optimal production of the blue crab in Chesapeake Bay and for sustaining the communities that depend on this fishery for their livelihood.