Drop in Chesapeake Bay’s crab population to bring new catch curbs

The Baltimore Sun – The annual winter survey of Maryland and Virginia waters tallied 300 million  crabs, down nearly two-thirds from the number seen the year before, the Department  of Natural Resources reported. Though the number of female crabs increased and remains well above the  threshold scientists say is needed to sustain the population, the survey found  the crop of juvenile crabs has fallen by 80 percent since last year.   Officials said overharvesting didn’t appear to be the problem, but possibly an  influx of fish into the bay that feasted on the young crabs. continued

 

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