Bad News for Chesapeake Bay Crabs

Watermen Say Crab Season Off To Good Start

While area crabbers usually wait until the water gets warmer before they go after crabs, some are already dipping into the Chesapeake Bay.Jesse Lowers at Lowers Crab Shack & Fish Market has already been harvesting Maryland's favorite food.

"Our first Maryland crabs of the season came out of our pots yesterday. These are all male crabs that just came out of the mud." With the warm temperatures experienced over the winter, Lower said he saw a slight increase of crabs in local waters. But he's still waiting for his big catch, which he expects will be in a few weeks when the waters get even warmer, said Ramdass.

Lowers said he has one concern: "One thing we're a little concerned about is there's a whole lot of female crabs now because of the restrictions they put on them a couple of years ago."When you have too many female crabs, they'll actually drive the males out of the areas, he explained.

Ah yes, too many female crabs harassing the male crabs and demanding sex.  And the watermen would be more than happy to relieve the Bay of that burden.  That reminds me that in the recent past, watermen have also claimed that the Bay had too many Striped Bass (and they would be willing to remove a few as a public service)