Copied from The Baltimore Sun 

Measures to preserve crab population proposed

Plans offered by Md. biologists include licensing recreational crabbers

By Candus Thomson | Sun reporter

7:46 AM EST, February 26, 2008

State fisheries biologists are preparing a menu of options to reduce this season's harvest of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay, including licensing all recreational crabbers and curtailing the commercial harvest of female crabs until they reach spawning age.

A population survey is about a month from completion, but few scientists believe it will indicate that the number of crabs exceeds the 200 million target needed to sustain a robust rebuilding program. A drop below 86 million crabs might leave too few crabs to restock the population, said Lynn Fegley, a biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

"The best-case scenario — over 200 million crabs — will not happen this year; I can almost guarantee it," Fegley told recreational anglers last night. "If the 2008 survey indicates over fishing, DNR will be obligated to act in 2008."

The agency will meet with commercial crabbers Thursday night in Annapolis.

Last year, Maryland's commercial crabbers caught slightly less than 22 million pounds, the second-lowest level in three decades. Virginia crabbers caught about the same amount.

Restrictions by Maryland and Virginia over the last seven years "seemed to have stopped the skid, but we haven't gotten where we need to go," Fegley said.

The most drastic measure would be closing the commercial season for up to two weeks. But Fegley said regulators would prefer setting size limits to protect female crabs until they can spawn. On the recreational side, proposals include requiring a license, setting catch limits and reducing the length of "trotlines" used to catch crabs.

The biggest question mark is whether Virginia will agree to restrictions. Virginia crabbers catch 70 percent of the female blue crabs in the bay, and watermen are allowed to harvest pregnant female crabs. Virginia also allows commercial dredging for crabs in the winter, an activity Maryland prohibits.

"We cannot do this alone," said Fegley, who has been working with Virginia officials. "If Virginia adopts [size limits], that's our biggest bang for the buck. … Virginia has said it will seriously consider this."

After meeting with commercial and recreational crabbers, DNR officials will brief state lawmakers on the best options by mid-March. Survey results are expected about April 1, and Fegley expects to have regulations in place by mid-April.