This time of year, plates of blue crab fill seats at family tables across Virginia. A new generation tries out that beloved time-tested crab recipe or a veteran crab picker showcases their method to a newcomer.
And, crabbers in the Chesapeake Bay supply these cherished times by venturing out onto waters with hopes for a bountiful catch.
But, a recent decision to lift a 15-year ban on the blue crab winter harvest chipped away at these quintessential Virginia memories.
The 5-4 vote by the Virginia Resources Marine Commission (VMRC) opened the door to endangering the vital and vulnerable blue crab, not to mention jeopardizing sustainable harvests for Virginia crabbers throughout the year. It’s a wrong move for both our economy and our environment.
Fortunately, it’s not too late to make the right call. At its September meeting, the VMRC can still heed the science and vote to keep the crab fishery closed this coming winter.
Protecting female blue crabs during the winter remains key to supporting this valuable fishery that brings in anywhere from $22 million to $38 million annually for Virginia.
Female crabs bury themselves at the bottom of the bay in the winter, waiting to release millions of eggs. Come spring, they spawn and help produce the next generation of crabs.
Winter crabbers deploy heavy metal dredges, rake-like structures, to scrape crabs from the bottom of the bay, and female crabs come up by far the most. According to a VMRC staff presentation, the winter fishery harvested an estimated 32% of the female crabs in the Bay at the start of the season. Overall, females make up 96% of the winter harvest.
When the federal government declared a fisheries disaster in 2008, Virginia promised to protect adult female crabs. A major way Virginia fulfilled this promise to the federal government was by shutting down the winter crab season. By closing the winter fishery, Virginia met 17% of its 34% crab death reduction pledge.
Since then, there have been gains in the female population. But, the current 133 million female crabs is nowhere near the 215 million needed for a healthy female population in the Chesapeake Bay and the progress has not been constant. Since last year, females declined by nearly 20 million.
We’re only two years removed from record-low crab numbers. Young crabs remain below average for the fifth year in a row and male crabs decreased by 9 million since last year.
Isn’t it better to rebuild the blue crab population to the agreed targets rather than open crabs to the harvest that likely helped lead to the 2008 disaster?
Now is not the time to put the blue crab more at risk. The vast majority of crabbers aren’t interested in winter harvest, preferring to pursue plentiful oysters and then return to crabbing in the spring and summer.
Those crabbers deserve to remain confident that come spring and summer they too will have the opportunity to catch the crabs that support their livelihood, one of Virginia’s most valuable fisheries, and the species at the center of cherished Virginia memories.
Looking at the numbers, VMRC staff recommended keeping the ban. And nearly 200 public comments supported keeping the winter season closed.
Also, Virginia and Maryland are in the middle of an assessment that’s taking a scientific deep dive into the factors behind the decline in the blue crab. That’s expected to be out in early 2026. Increasing the crab harvest before then is irresponsible and could throw off the results of this study.
VMRC has said their vote allowed them to gather more data. But, the data already begs for precaution. Virginia’s crabbers, this important species and this valuable fishery need the VMRC to heed the science.
History has already shown what happens when we don’t protect the struggling blue crab.
When they reconsider this issue in September, Virginia commissioners should reinstate the ban on the winter crab harvest and wait for more science-backed answers from the stock assessment.
Del. Alfonso Lopez is chair of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee. He represents the 3rd District, which includes parts of Arlington County and the city of Alexandria.
