With Blue Crab Numbers AT 1/3 1991 Level, Deep Cuts Planned For Chesapeake Harvest - WP

[hatrack]

Fearing that blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay are dipping to dangerously low levels, Maryland fisheries managers are planning deep multi-year cuts to the commercial harvest of the Chesapeake's best-known product.

At a tense meeting last night, Maryland authorities explained their proposals to about 100 crabbers. The cuts are recommended because last year's harvest in the state was the second-lowest since 1945, and scientists expect this summer's catch won't be much better.

"This is tough stuff," said Lynn Fegley, a biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources who oversees the state's crab population.

Her voice at times shaking, Fegley somberly told crabbers that because blue crabs in the Chesapeake are so scarce, Maryland runs the risk of overharvesting them so much they wouldn't be able to rebound. Fegley said the state estimates that fewer than 150 million adult blue crabs live in the Chesapeake. There were more than 450 million as recently as 1991.

EDIT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022804455.html

[Lasher]

1. Bummer.

Overfishing and pollution from chicken farms.

[phantom power]

2. Remarkable: the estimated safe minimum populuation is 86 million.

If the population dips below 86 million adult crabs, Fegley said, "you start to run the risk you're not going to have adequate crabs to reproduce."

[jpak]

3. So much for the 'Immense Protein Factory'

n/t

[kristopher]

4. FWIW #1 authority on issue is C. Epifanio (Epiphanio?)

If you want more info on topic look up his work.

[Recursion]

5. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I love me some blue crabs