Are prices for crabs about to go way up this summer in Maryland?
According to an article published by The Baltimore Sun, a recent study of the Chesapeake Bay has discovered the crab population has declined 30% since last year.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute for Marine Science who have been performing the study since 1990 say a historically low number of young crabs has lead to the decrease.
On the flip side, the number of spawning-age mature female crabs has risen year-over-year by about 17 million.
Still, with the overall 30% decrease in total numbers of crabs, catches could be smaller and prices could go up on the consumer end.
“The reduced abundance of juveniles and males could make crabs scarce later this summer into the fall for those who enjoy eating crabs, and indicates we should remain cautious in our approach to managing this valuable fishery,” says a Chesapeake Bay spokesperson.
A decision on catch limits in Maryland could come in the next couple of weeks. Virginia has said they do not plan to impose any changes this year.
Source: The Baltimore Sun