Chesapeake Bay News

An important new scientific assessment of the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab stock has been released by the federal government, setting higher abundance thresholds and crab population targets that will dictate how the agency manages the fisheries in the years to come.

A new scientific assessment of the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab population indicates significantly more work needs to be done to fully rebuild the stock to sustainable levels. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessment,  although the stock has increased substantially in response to three years of rebuilding efforts by Virginia, Maryland and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, the stock was more depleted than originally believed and will take longer to rebuild than had been expected.

The assessment, which sets a new overfishing threshold as well as a new safe abundance level for female crabs, took three years to complete and represents the best available science on the stock’s reproductive capabilities, lifespan, gender and size distributions. The assessment underwent rigorous scientific scrutiny in a peer review by Dr. Julian Addison of France, Dr. Cathy Dichmont of Australia and Dr. Billy Ernst of Chile.

Until now, fishery managers used an interim target of 200 million total adult crabs in the bay as the threshold of a healthy stock and considered overfishing to occur if 53 percent of adult (age 1+) crabs were harvested in a year. Regulations were established to meet these benchmarks, which were based on 2005 bay-wide crab assessment data.

The new stock assessment sets a new healthy-species abundance level of 215 million female crabs, with overfishing occurring if 34 percent of the female crabs are harvested in a year.  Put into context, this means that fishery managers have only come close to achieving this level of female abundance three times over the past 22 years, in 2010, 1993 and 1991.

These more stringent assessments of the stock’s health will allow fishery managers to set more precise female harvest limits in order to fully rebuild the stock.  Virginia, Maryland and the PRFC remain committed to working together to rebuild the bay’s crab population to meet the new female population threshold and abundance target.

In September the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee will meet to consider the new assessment, examine data from the past two years and provide management recommendations to Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission.

The bay-wide crab harvest in 2010 was in the 90 million-pound range, confirming that a healthy harvesting industry can coexist with regulations designed to rebuild a self-sustaining, healthy blue crab population.

Through a historic collaboration in 2008, Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission took strong, coordinated action to reduce harvest pressure on female crabs by 34 percent. At that time, scientists deemed conservation measures necessary as blue crab suffered near historic lows in spawning stock.

“Overall, crabs in the bay are doing well. Implementing recommendations developed in the stock assessment, like focusing fishing regulations on female crabs, will help even more,” said Dr. Tom Miller, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, lead author of the stock assessment.

The stock assessment can be viewed in its entirety at http://hjort.cbl.umces.edu/crabs/Assessment.html

source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission/Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries service will increase the commercial crab daily catch limits for female crabs this fall. DNR fisheries managers made the decision after they determined that the increase will have no negative impact on rebuilding the blue crab population.

For 2011 DNR will increase daily female catch limits between September 1 and November 10. A crabber with a Limited Crab Catcher License will be allowed to land 12 bushels a day; an increase of two bushels over the same period last year. Crabbers holding more extensive licenses will see comparable increases based on their license levels.

This decision comes on the heels of the 2011 Blue Crab Winter Dredge survey, which showed that the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population is at its second highest level since 1997 and well above the target for the third year in a row, setting the stage for a Bay-wide recovery. The results of the survey indicate

that management measures put into place regulating the female blue crab population in 2008 are continuing to pay dividends and harvest levels have been below the established 46 percent target level for two consecutive years.

All other commercial and recreational crabbing regulations for 2011, in both the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s coastal bays, will remain the same. Commercial crabbers in the Chesapeake Bay will continue to abide by strict daily female catch limits, and the commercial harvest of female crabs is prohibited June 1-15 and November 11- December 15.

source: MD DNR

According to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, watermen succeeded in hauling up more than 10,000 derelict so-called “ghost pots,” lost fishing nets, and assorted metal junk from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in the third year of Virginia’s one-of-a-kind Marine Debris Removal Program.

The program, funded by NOAA through the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and administered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, paid the watermen to use side-imaging sonar units to detect and retrieve lost or abandoned crab pots and other marine debris that litter the Bay floor. The 70 watermen participants were paid $300 a day, and were compensated for their fuel costs.

VIMS scientists  have analyzed the program’s accomplishments in its third year and discovered:

• A total of 9,970 derelict crab pots were recovered, along with 52 lost nets and 532 other pieces of junk, including a jon boat, a portable generator frame, and a large metal crate used to transport hunting dogs.

• Many of the recovered pots had been derelict for several years, and continue to inadvertently trap and kill crabs and a variety of fish and wildlife.

• The recovered crab pots were found to have captured over the winter more than 11,000 animals, including thousands of crabs, as well as turtles, fish, eels, and whelks. Scientists have determined that each functional lost crab pot can capture about 50 crabs a year.

Ongoing research at VIMS funded through NOAA’s Marine Debris Program suggests 20 percent of all the crab pots set in a year are lost, primarily due to storms or boat propellers that accidentally cut the pots free from their buoys.

The marine debris removal was the first, and is the largest program of its kind in the country. The program costs roughly $1 million a year. It is funded by NOAA through blue crab disaster funds made available to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. VIMS handled the daily operation of the program and supervision of the participating watermen. The program ran from December through March 15.

Recovered ghost pots and other debris were GPS-located and photographed, and participant boat tracks were also recorded. All marine debris were disposed of in a safe and environmentally conscious manner or recycled.

Since the Marine Debris Removal Program began in December 2008, more than 28,000 lost or abandoned crab pots have been removed from the water, as well as 150 lost fishing nets and 1,300 pieces of assorted metal junk. More than 27,000 animals, many already dead, were found in crab pots retrieved since 2008.

This year’s haul of marine debris was more than in either of the last two years.

More information on the program’s results can be found on the program’s website http://ccrm.vims.edu/marine_debris_removal/index.html

source: VMRC

Virginia and Maryland fishery managers  have released results of the 2011 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey.  The study found that the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population is at its second highest level since 1997 and well above the target for the third year in a row.

Overall crab abundance, however, declined due to this past winter’s deep freeze that killed as many as 31 percent of Maryland’s adult crabs, compared to about 11 percent in 2010.

At 460 million crabs, the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population is at its second highest level since 1997, and nearly double the record low of 249 million in 2007. And, for watermen across the Bay, the unusually high crab abundance last year translated into a harvest of more than 89 million pounds — the highest since 1993.

Commenting on the winter kill,  Steven G. Bowman, Commissioner of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission remarked: “We cannot control the weather. It was a harsh winter and crab mortality was higher than normal. In fact, it was the worst we’ve seen since 1996.”

“This drop in abundance should be viewed as a speed bump in our stock rebuilding program, and just means it will take a bit longer to get to where we want to be with a stabilized crab stock of high abundance,” Commissioner Bowman added.” Some stock management challenges remain, but the evidence shows we’re going in the right direction.”

According to the survey, 254 million adult crabs survived the bitter cold winter in the Chesapeake, above the current population target for the third year in a row. This marks the first time since the early 1990s that the Bay has seen three consecutive years with the adult population was above the target (200 million crabs) and the harvest was below the target of 46 percent.

Estimates of abundance are developed separately for young of the year crabs, mature female crabs, and adult male crabs. Together, these groups of crabs will support the 2011 fishery and produce the next generation of crabs

In 2008, Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission took action to reduce harvest pressure on female crabs by 34 percent. At that time, scientists deemed conservation measures necessary as blue crab suffered near historic lows in spawning stock.

“The coordinated management of blue crabs since 2008 clearly demonstrates the conservation gains that can be achieved when Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions act collectively toward a common vision – in this case a healthy blue crab population and sustainable fishery, said Peyton Robertson, director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office.

In September 2008, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service responded to Virginia’s and Maryland’s request for disaster assistance funding for watermen impacted by the declining blue crab population.

The primary assessment of the Bay’s blue crab population is conducted annually by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).  Since 1990, the survey has employed crab dredges to sample blue crabs at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay from December through March. By sampling during winter when blue crabs are buried in the mud and stationary, scientists can develop, with good precision, estimates of the number of crabs present in the Bay.

“The overall crab abundance is down a bit from what it was last year at this time, but let’s keep that in context. We saw a huge bay-wide harvest in 2010, the largest since the early 1990s, and despite that the stock abundance continues to be higher than we’ve seen in many, many years,” Travelstead said.

source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)has announced that it is offering to buy and permanently retire Unlimited Tidal Fish (TFL) and Crab Harvester (CB) commercial fishing licenses on a voluntary basis from holders who may or may not be currently active in commercial crabbing or fishing.

The first phase of the effort to reduce latent crabbing pressure was a voluntary DNR buyback of commercial Limited Crab Catcher (LCC) licenses which ran from July 2009 until March 11, 2011. The effort resulted in the purchase and retirement of nearly 700 licenses.

On March 1, 2011, DNR mailed buyback information packets including bid forms to all TFL and CB license holders who may choose to accept a certain base price or take a chance that there will be funds available at the end of the program to be paid a higher price. The base and optional high prices are based on license types. The offers range from a base price of $4,000 for a 300-pot CB license to a high potential price of $12,000 for a TFL with a 900 crab pot authorization. License holders may also choose to pass on the offer.

According to DNR, The agency is not planning any action that would impact individuals who choose not to participate in this program.

DNR will buy all licenses offered at the base price first. If funds remain after the initial phase, DNR will randomly select, in a public drawing, licenses to be purchased at the higher price.

TFL and CB license holders interested in selling their licenses to DNR must return their bid forms to the postmarked by Friday April 15, 2011 in order to participate.

Buyback program information, bid forms, and the price structure are posted on the DNR website at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/commercial/index.asp

Interested license holders may also call the crab hotline at 410-260-8286 for more information.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is ending the Limited Crab Catcher (LCC) commercial license buyback program after retiring nearly 700 LCC licenses in about a year and a half. DNR is no longer offering to purchase LCC licenses as of March 11, 2011.

The program reduced the number of commercial crabbing licenses in order to ensure effective management of a sustainable blue crab fishery. Last year, DNR’s winter dredge survey showed a dramatic 60 percent increase in Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population.

DNR bought back LCC licenses for $2,360 beginning in August 2009. Funding for the program came from a Federal Blue Crab Fishery Disaster Grant. The funds were issued by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service.

Any LCC license holder wishing to sell their license to the state may do so at any DNR Licensing Center until 4:30 p.m. on March 11. No paperwork claiming to accept DNR’s offer to buy an LCC license will be valid after this time.

source: MD DNR

In conjunction with National Seafood Month, Maryland officials have declared October “Maryland Seafood Month.”

“Seafood is one of Maryland’s greatest family traditions and part of our identity. Generations of hard-working watermen make their living from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and people come from far and wide to enjoy the delicious finfish and shellfish they catch,” said Governor O’Malley. “Purchasing Maryland seafood also stimulates the local economy by supporting local watermen, aqua farmers, processors, and countless others involved with the Maryland seafood industry. Maryland Seafood Month’ is as much a tribute to Maryland’s seafood ‘family’ as it is a celebration of our greatest natural resource.”

Maryland’s blue crabs are at their largest in the fall, after having grown all summer. They also have not shed their shell since late September, which makes them very full and heavy. An abundant supply of large crabs is available at seafood markets at very reasonable prices. The large supply has lowered the price dramatically and consumers should take advantage of prices of the very large crabs now and enjoy hot and spicy Maryland blue crabs on a crisp autumn weekend. Hold a half-time crab feast or tailgate party. Just line your serving area with plastic then cover with newspapers for easy clean-up. Or serve chilled steamed Maryland blue crabs.

Seafood quality and safety has been, and continues to be, another Maryland tradition. Our seafood is monitored by several state agencies, local health departments and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These agencies conduct regular product and plant inspections and water tests ensuring that Maryland seafood is wholesome. In addition, Maryland crab meat undergoes a voluntary quality control and sanitation inspection. Maryland is the only state that has this extra level of inspection for crab meat. Such rigorous standards are another reason that Maryland crab meat is superior to all other crab meat in the world!

Maryland seafood is more than delicious. An excellent source of high quality protein, seafood is easily digested, generally low in fat, sodium and calories and high in important vitamins and minerals. In addition, seafood contains Omega-3 fatty acids, believed to be effective in lowering cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

“Eating Maryland seafood is a delicious part of a healthy diet,” says Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “Maryland blue crabs are at their largest in the fall, after having grown all summer. October also signals the harvest of savory, plump oysters. Our world-famous state fish, striped bass, known locally as rockfish, is also a tasty and popular fall dish.”

When purchasing fish, look for signs of freshness and quality: bright, clear eyes, scales that adhere tightly to the skin, skin that springs back when lightly pressed, bright pink or red gills and a mild sea breeze scent. Crabs and oysters should be purchased live. Crabs should be lively and you should discard any dead crabs before cooking. Oysters purchased in the shell should have tightly-closed shells or should close when touched. Both types of shellfish should be cooked the same day as purchased. Always rinse finfish and shellfish with cold water before cooking. Cooked seafood, as with all cooked food, should not come into contact with or be stored in the same container as raw food. This is to protect from cross-contamination of bacteria that is normally found on raw food products. As with beef, poultry and pork, proper cooking kills bacteria in seafood. Careful clean up of preparation area and utensils is always important with all raw food products.

For tailgating or harvest gatherings, try these easy to transport Maryland crab recipes.

SOUTHWESTERN-STYLE CRAB WRAPS

1/3 cup slightly softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons mild or medium-hot picante sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions or chives
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
16 ounces picked-over backfin crabmeat
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup very well drained bottled roasted sweet pepper or pimiento, chopped
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar or jack cheese
4 large (11 inch or similar) flour tortillas
About 8 large lettuce leaves

In a large bowl stir together cream cheese, mayonnaise, picante sauce, green onion, and Worcestershire sauce until well blended. Lightly fold in crab meat. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Dividing the mixture equally, spread it evenly over surface of tortillas. Pat roasted peppers dry with paper towels. Dividing equally, sprinkle them, along with the cheese, evenly over crab mixture. Pat lettuce leaves completely dry on paper towels. Lay lettuce leaves on tortillas, patching and tearing as necessary, to completely cover filling. Press down leaves to compact mixture as much as possible. Fold up one side of tortilla about 1 inch to form a bottom and hold filling.

Then, working from one perpendicular side, roll up tortilla neatly. If desired, cut crosswise across of the tortilla to trim off excess dough and to expose the roll-up filling. Tightly roll up wrap in wax paper, twist the paper ends to prevent unrolling. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wraps can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated until serving time. Remove from the refrigerator to warm up slightly before serving. Remove paper from around wraps just before serving. Make 4 burrito-size wraps.

Steamed Blue Crabs

½ Cup Seafood Seasoning
½ Cup Salt
3 Cups White Vinegar
3 Cups Beer (or water)
3 Dozen Live (and lively) Maryland Blue Crabs

Mix seasoning, vinegar and beer (or water) well. Put one-half crabs in very large pot with rack and TIGHT fitting lid. **Pour one-half of seasoning mixture over top. Add rest of crabs and remaining liquid. Steam, covered, until crabs turn bright red in color, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Make about 6 to 12 servings, depending upon size of crabs and other foods served.

** If two pots are used, layer crabs and measure seasoning mixture accordingly.

source: Maryland Department of Agriculture

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds watermen and license holders that the August 31 deadline to submit a bid for the commercial Limited Crab Catcher (LCC) License Buy-Back Program is fast approaching. This voluntary program is in keeping with DNR’s effort to effectively manage Maryland’s blue crab population. Crabbers may receive $2,260 per license, and DNR’s goal is to permanently buy back 2,000 of the latent and active 3,676 LCC licenses.

DNR implemented the buy-back program in response to public feedback. Support for the program came from $15 million in Federal Crab Disaster Funds obtained through the efforts of U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski and the Maryland Delegation to help watermen and to foster restoration solutions for the crabbing industry in Maryland.

Since July 2009, 650 crabbers have sold their licenses back to the state. DNR will continue to buy LCC licenses until the funds earmarked for this purpose run dry or are needed for other crab disaster projects.

Inactive licenses are those with no reported harvest between April 1, 2004 and December 15, 2008. In February 2010, a regulation went into effect requiring inactive license holders to declare their LCC to be male-only or frozen. The purpose of that regulation was to prevent inactive licenses from placing additional harvest pressure on female crabs. This regulatory action clarifies which individuals with a male-only or frozen LCC license can upgrade to an unlimited Tidal Fish License (TFL).

DNR has determined that upgrades by these individuals will not compromise the management objective. Only those individuals who met the requirements by April 6, 2010 are allowed to use a male-only or frozen LCC license to upgrade to a TFL beginning in the 2011 renewal period.

Renewal of LCC licenses must be made by March 2011 or they will automatically revert back to the State at no charge. The penalty for a late renewal is $50, but an LCC license does not need to be renewed in order to sell it back to the state.

Through the various fisheries programs put into place since 2008, the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has increased by 60 percent, a substantial rise for the second straight year. Results of the most recent winter dredge survey place the crab population it at its highest level since 1997. The survey indicates that the O’Malley administration’s management measures, along with an historic collaboration with Virginia and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, are continuing to pay dividends.

For more information call the DNR Crab Hotline—(800) 893-2722 or visit a DNR Service Center to sell your LCC License back to the State.

source: DNR press release

Chesapeake Bay Steamed Crabs

Around the Chesapeake Bay, crab feasts are a summer tradition. A crab feast starts with a basket of blue crabs, a steamer and a group of friends. Preparations for a crab feast usually start several hours in advance. Crabs must be obtained, either by catching them in the wild or from a local supplier. Most entertainers look for the best possible crabs, which are usually #1 or #2 male blue crabs, also known as “Jimmy crabs”.

Crabs are perishable and should be kept cool at all times. If they must be transported any distance, its best to place them in a large cooler with a considerable amount of ice. Isolate the crabs from the ice so that they do not freeze. The idea is to provide a cool environment while waiting to be steamed. Do not allow crabs to submerge in water. If crabs must be stored before a feast, they can remain in a cooler for a short period of time or be stored in a refrigerator.

Prior to steaming, crabs should be washed and inspected. Remove any debris or lost claws from the batch. Discard any crabs that have broken shells or do not move. Most steamers have a rack which holds seafood above the water level. Add water and if desired, beer to the steamer, filling to roughly one inch below the rack. To steam crabs, use a high flame, heating the steamer until the water reaches a rolling boil and steam begins to form.

Using gloves, add live crabs to the steamer, placing them upright and arranging them in layers. Cover each layer of crabs with crab seasoning, repeating the process until the steamer is full. Steam crabs for 20 minutes or more, checking often to insure that a little water remains in the bottom of the steamer. After steaming, crabs should be bright orange; remove with tongs and serve immediately. Continue to steam crabs in batches until all crabs have been steamed.

Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are traditionally served with local summertime side dishes such as fresh local sweet corn, cole slaw or potato salad. It is a good idea to offer containers of melted butter, malt vinegar and dry crab seasoning. To accompany steamed crabs, most diners prefer ice cold beer, sodas or a dry white wine.

The simplest way to enjoy steamed crabs is to serve them outside, covering the table with newspapers. Feasters will need a sturdy paper plate, a crab mallet and a small but sturdy knife for picking out crab meat. Left over crabs should be refrigerated immediately, but are good for a few days if kept cold at all times.

Note:

An alternative method is to remove the backs from crabs and spray out the bodies before steaming. This method results in more appealing meat with a much stronger crab seasoning flavor.

Crab Feast Checklist:

(1) bushel of Chesapeake Bay #1 jimmy crabs
(1) can Old Bay crab seasoning
(1) outdoor propane burner (preferred)
(1) 24-36 qt. crab steamer
butter
tongs
cooler
beer
sodas
ice
butter
cider or malt vinegar
fresh sweet corn
crab mallets
crab knives

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced the elimination of its 9-day female blue-crab harvest closure period that runs from Sept 26-Oct 4 for the 2010 season. The regulation change comes in response to a 60 percent increase in Chesapeake Bay blue crab population estimates.

This short closure to female harvest was implemented in 2009, along with season-long daily catch limits and other closed periods to ensure appropriate harvest levels of female crabs. The elimination of this short fall closure will provide for increased commercial harvest opportunity in the face of the 60 percent increase in crab abundance.

Daily catch limits and the June closure will remain in place, and the fishery will close to female harvest on November 10, as scheduled. The opening of the fall closure in 2010 will not guarantee that these 9 days will remain open in the future.

According to regulators, the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has increased substantially for the second straight year, with the results of the most recent winter dredge survey placing it at its highest level since 1997.

Maryland’s commercial crab harvest is controlled through daily catch limits and closed periods throughout the season. DNR has authority to alter both daily catch limits and closures by public notice, allowing the Department to quickly flex regulations each year to ensure that crab harvest remains proportional to crab abundance.

In Virginia the allowable period for the harvest of female dark sponge crabs is being extended by 14 days.

source: MD DNR press release