Blue Crab Management

Blue crabs make up the most important and valuable commercial fishery in the Bay. They also play an important ecological role as both predator and prey in the Bay ecosystem. The blue crab population is vulnerable to increased harvest pressure, as well as the effects of habitat loss due to poor water quality. Proper management of the crab harvest, as well as water quality improvements and underwater bay grass restoration efforts, will help restore the Bay's blue crab population and maintain this valuable resource into the future.

Blue Crab Abundance

Scientists estimate that the population of blue crabs in the Bay in 2007 was about 78 percent of the interim target of 200 million blue crabs. The 200 million crab interim goal is being considered as a management target, but has not been endorsed by Bay jurisdictions and is not used to regulate the blue crab fishery. Overall, blue crab abundance continues to be low, and the stock is not rebuilding as had been anticipated.

Blue Crab Management Planning

Blue crabs are currently managed as a single species, using minimum catch size and seasonal limits on harvests to meet target levels of fishing pressure. The annual winter dredge survey determines if the blue crab stock's target levels have been exceeded. Under this strategy, fishing pressure is set to levels that should allow for increased abundance of crabs over time.

The Bay Program developed its first Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan in 1989 to unify the approach of the three Bay jurisdictions that manage commercial crabbing: Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. A second fishery management plan for blue crab was implemented in 1997. Its goal was to manage blue crabs in a way that conserves the Bay-wide stock, protects its ecological value and optimizes the long-term use of the resource.

In 1996, the Bi-State Blue Crab Advisory Committee (BBCAC) was created through the Chesapeake Bay Commission to facilitate dialogue and coordinate blue crab fishery management among the same three Bay jurisdictions. The BBCAC is not regulatory; rather, it advises the governors, legislatures and resource managers in Maryland and Virginia of their findings and recommendations for blue crab management.

In 2001, the BBCAC recommended that the three jurisdictions take actions to double the spawning stock of blue crabs in the Bay. To meet this goal, the jurisdictions developed fishery management actions designed to decrease the annual blue crab harvest effort by 15 percent, with the intent of allowing the blue crab population to increase.

Protecting Migrating Blue Crabs

In 2002, Virginia expanded their deep water blue crab sanctuary to 929 square miles off-limit to commercial crabbing. This area includes coastal ocean waters immediately adjacent to the mouth of the Bay, since blue crab larvae use this area as they grow into juveniles. The larger no-collection zone is estimated to reduce overall fishing pressure by about 6 percent.

Scientists are also working to better understand the life cycle and habits of blue crabs in the Bay. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland uses tags to track crabs' movement and feeding habits. By researching crabs in their natural environment, Bay Program partners will be better able to manage the species and help sustain a thriving blue crab population for years to come.