Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee Publications

Each year, from December to March, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science conduct the Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey to estimate the abundance of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay. The estimated abundance of mature females from the Winter Dredge Survey and female harvest estimates from each jurisdiction are used to assess blue crab stock status relative to female-specific management reference points. The Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee (CBSAC) meets each spring to review the results of the latest Winter Dredge Survey and the previous season’s harvest estimates to develop management recommendations for the jurisdictions. This report summarizes the 2025 Winter Dredge Survey and 2024 harvest data discussed at the May 15, 2025, CBSAC meeting.

View document [PDF, 1.0 MB] 2025 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Advisory Report

This report summarizes the 2024 Winter Dredge Survey and 2023 harvest data discussed at the May 21, 2024, Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee meeting.

View document [PDF, 981.2 KB] 2024 Blue Crab Advisory Report

This study summarizes work to develop and evaluate operating models for the Chesapeake Bay blue crab fishery.

View document [PDF, 5.2 MB] A Population Simulation Model for Blue Crab Stock Assessment Performance Evaluation

This document summarizes a study that used the operating model approach to test the performance of blue crab benchmark assessments and management.

View document [PDF, 321.3 KB] Testing Blue Crab Management: Simulating the Present to Sustain the Future

This report summarizes the 2023 Winter Dredge Survey and 2022 harvest data discussed at the May 18, 2023, Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee meeting.

View document [PDF, 668.2 KB] 2023 Blue Crab Advisory Report

This report summarizes the proceedings of a workshop to discuss blue crab population drivers and stock assessment modeling to better understand recent population declines and prepare for the upcoming benchmark stock assessment.

View document [PDF, 511.3 KB] Blue Crab Population Drivers and Stock Assessment in Chesapeake Bay

This report summarizes the 2022 Winter Dredge Survey and 2021 harvest data discussed at the May 25, 2022, Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee meeting.

View document [PDF, 396.1 KB] 2022 Blue Crab Advisory Report

This report summarizes the 2021 Winter Dredge Survey and 2020 harvest data discussed at the May 18, 2021, Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee meeting.

View document [PDF, 801.2 KB] 2021 Blue Crab Advisory Report

This study, conducted by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, applies models to understand the influence of climatic, water quality, and biotic variables on estimates of key indices of blue crab recruitment for 1990‐2017. The published results can be accessed here: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfas-2019-0439

View document [PDF, 2.3 MB] Evaluation of Environmental Factors Influencing Blue Crab Populations

Annual report published by the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee on the status of the blue crab population in the Chesapeake Bay and management advice for Bay jurisdictions.