crabs with sponge

[shoebag22]

I heard that you may now keep as many sponge crabs as you wish... is this true or are all of them still off limits?

[Sunpal]

NEVER keep a sponge crab!   Where did you hear otherwise?

[Islander]

Throw them back.

[frankwyte4]

thats the future of the crab population, throw em back and let em live.

[tattoo]

Let em go. 

[R D]

I think what he is refering to is that in Va. now you can keep orange sponge crabs but not black ones,the black sponge is closer to laying,stupid law,if they are showing any sponge then let them lay there eggs.

[horsefly]

I think what he is refering to is that in Va. now you can keep orange sponge crabs but not black ones,the black sponge is closer to laying,stupid law,if they are showing any sponge then let them lay there eggs.

Law doesn't make any sense. It was dumb when they started it. I think now they also have a no crabbing zone for the sponges around the Virginia Beach area. But like you stated RD, the sponge goes from brillant bright orange (just as the color of roe inside pre-spawn) to the brownish/black spawning stage when she goes to the sandy bottom to rub her eggs free. I still think during the spawning periods ( early spring and late summer/to fall) they should ban the catching of them PERIOD   

[genecrabman]

Not to mention here in North Carolina we can sell sponge crabs but we have to throw the sooks that are lager than 6 3/4inches back.Is that totally "STUPID"or what? How Retarted is that..

[R D]

What i have seen over the years is those big sooks usually don't sponge thus no eggs so why not keep them

[genecrabman]

Never threw any away yet.

[horsefly]

Gene, I still have not figured out why the biologists got involved into that rule making(the  6 3/4 and larger throw back) True RD, the larger female has probably already done her egg laying duty, why not keep them? They, the BIG sooks don't migrate up the heads of the rivers and creeks like the males do, so I for one say keep the crabs. Hey Gene, whats even more retarded is the fact that we can send sponges to the picking houses in states with the no sponge law.

[Joe Crabs]

Gene, I still have not figured out why the biologists got involved into that rule making(the  6 3/4 and larger throw back) True RD, the larger female has probably already done her egg laying duty, why not keep them? They, the BIG sooks don't migrate up the heads of the rivers and creeks like the males do, so I for one say keep the crabs. Hey Gene, whats even more retarded is the fact that we can send sponges to the picking houses in states with the no sponge law.

Brian, plenty of 6 1/2 and 7+" females all the way down river in the Wye.

[horsefly]

Brian, plenty of 6 1/2 and 7+" females all the way down river in the Wye.

You mean up to the head right Joe??? Are they in 3' to 4' and do they stay year round like the big jimmy crabs do???

[HenPot]

There will be a run in a month or so of huge females at the Wye.  Could almost fill the boat up, if we kept them! 

[Joe Crabs]

You mean up to the head right Hoe??? Are they in 3' to 4' and do they stay year round like the big jimmy crabs do???

No they actually come into and down river late August and September and actually hang mostly in the deeper water. Then leave with the rest of them.

[Tom Powers]

So they did do a change to the Virginia regs back in May of this year.  In effect there is no restrictions on keeping dark sponge crabs after July 15th.  Additionally, the Commission supported VIMS continuing the mortality studies regarding sponge crabs, their eggs, etc. when they are caught in commercial style crab pots.  At the same time they expanded the commercial crab sancturary to include all state waters south of Cape Henry to the NC line.

Here is a copy of the specific regulation.

4 VAC 20-370-20. CULLING REQUIREMENTS D. From March 17 through July 15, it shall be unlawful for any person to possess, for a period longer than is necessary for immediate determination of the presence of a dark egg mass, more than ten dark sponge crabs per United States standard bushel or thirty-five dark sponge crabs per barrel, and the following conservation measures shall be in effect:

Tom