Maryland and Virginia have reported that their annual winter survey of Chesapeake Bay's crabs found about a third fewer than the year before. Scientists blame the drop on a "killer" cold wave that hit in December and lasted into February.
You can read how I reported it in the Baltimore Sun here.
Reaction to the announcement has been interesting. Some see the drop as bad news, and suggest darkly that the O'Malley administration is trying to snow the public into thinking things are better than they are, and even that O'Malley's cozying up to watermen.
First, I doubt you'd find many (any?) watermen who support O'Malley or think he'd do them any favors, given their history over crabbing and oystering cutbacks, rockfish poaching, you name it. As for whether bad news is being spun, a little perspective is important.
Last year's survey found the crab population at its highest since 1997, and this latest count is the second highest. Scientists say the population, though lower than it was, is still healthy and for the third year in a row above the threshold they had set for ensuring a sustainable number.
Also, whether because of the catch restrictions in place or other factors, fisheries scientists estimate that recreational and commercial crabbers combined took something like 42-43 percent of the available crabs, below the 46 percent ceiling experts had set for steering clear of overfishing.
That's why the state is looking at whether it should ease or tweak the limits a bit, but not a lot. To learn more about what the survey found and what the state is contemplating, go here.
Longer term, under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a group of biologists is in the throes of reassessing the health of the bay's crab stock. The group's report, due next month, may recommend changes in how the fishery is managed. One issue on the table is whether to impose differing catch limits for females than for males, since the "sooks" are the key to ensuring there'll be future waves of baby crabs in the bay.
For more on the winter dredge survey, I recommend reading this story that Sun outdoors writer Candus Thomson wrote about it last month.
(Top: Gov. Martin O'Malley announces crab survey results, Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox. Left: State biologist Joe Williams sorts crabs pulled from Patuxent River, Baltimore Sun photo by Candus Thomson)