What do NC crabbers think about size MAX on Females at 6 3/4. Good? or Bad?

[ki crook]

Ki crook

[crabberZac]

hey pal, where on KI are you from, i'm from tower gardens...anyway down here (new river, NC) most of the crab's i've been getting are closer to the minimum limit (5" point to point), however i'm just learning the area here so i'm sure there are bigger one's around somewhere.  By the way is 6 3/4 the new limit in MD.  Anyway I throw females back unless they're 1's or bigger just cuz they make so many more crabs for later.

[genecrabman]

The 6 3/4" law stinks.North Carolina will be know as the state with the smaller females because we throw the bigger ones back..This makes no sense  to me at all. I crab in the Albermarle, Pamlico, Currituck, Roanoke,and Croatan Sounds.This past spring while crabbing in the Pamlico Sound, when the law came in effect I threw back 20-30 percent of my female catch..Last fall when the law had been voted in I was told by a N.C. Marine Fisheries Biologist that this law would not effect us at all.. This once again shows how much the Biologist know. North Carolina Sea Grant has several studies totally  different than the fisheries.. Sea Grant studies show the small females lay more over-all eggs than the larger crabs, The larger ones lay more the first time they lay, but over all the smaller crabs lay several thousand more eggs over-all. North Carolina refuses to limit the catch of "sponge" or egg carrying crabs,But wants  to throw crabs back that may have already layed eggs, never to lay again..The only thing dumber than this  law are the people who passed it..I have meet people that do some studies for the Marine Fisheries of N.C..The week before i saw him he worked for the N.C. forrestry Dept. counting tree rings and now he was trawling for crabs to count to base a study on new laws..to be passed in the future..These studies are flawed and nobody has made them accountable,

[CrabbiCandi]

NC doesn't have any restriction on sponge crabs??  That's insane!!!   

[Finster]

No limit on "sponge" crabs? What's that all about?  The limit should be zero, whether there is a law passed or not.

[genecrabman]

I was told by an NC Marine Fisheries Biologist that the reason for "NOT" limiting or shutting down the sponge harvest would be discrimination against the people that harvest them.  I have also caught my share of sponge crabs too. But I would rather see a limit  placed on them before they make us throw big beautiful  female crabs  back.. This is total crazy..Many of our laws are passed due to flawed studies that are total biased before they start. We have many sanctuary's where we can't set pots during the spawn season.This to protect the egg laying crabs, and  we stay out of these areas..My opinion is to make the sanctuary's  bigger or limit the catch of the sponge crabs.Throwing  large crabs back is  stupid

[CrabbiCandi]

Ok, so if discrimination is the issue, why have a size limit?  That's discriminating against those who want to take crabs smaller than 5 in.  In my opinion, and everybody has one, "discrimination" issues are a bunch of malarkey all across the board.  No matter what you do, someone is going to be "discriminated" against, good or bad.  If you revoke the license of a 95 year old, you're discriminating against them.  It doesn't matter that they're a danger to society and themselves.  If you ban smoking, smokers are being discriminated against.  The law that makes stealing mail a felony is discriminating against those who steal mail.  I think I was discriminated against when I got all those speeding tickets!  Ok, I'm stepping down off my soapbox because I think I'm preaching to the choir!

My momma told me to never say never but I can honestly say, I will NEVER keep a sponge crab!  That's the ultimate in cutting my nose off to spite my face!

[horsefly]

I've been in this business for 20 years crabbing to processing to wholesale trade up north. NO WHERE is there a more idiotic effort of the DMF to cut our throats. They say some new law had to be made to show that they are insuring the crab population. The over 6" female is  a big dang crab. So what difference does it make if they are 4" ( nickname hickory sooks) or a 7+ incher. As long as they are mature they will lay eggs and most likely die after spawing. It does'nt matter if the male is a little guy I've seen them "claiming" big female peelers or softies. The point is he gets the job done and when the moon tide is right she will release her 1 million babies. My suggestion is for the DMF to not allow peelers under 4" and they MUST be red liners. The other is to have a sponge throw back policy. No sponges of any kind zero tolerance. Then again I beleive we are over consumed with laws and regs. that in the long term it could be devestating to us. If we are out reged. it just opens the door BIGGER for farm raised foreign [curd] to be pushed here un controlled. Then their once cheap item becomes a hot high dollar commadity that we cant afford. What a tooth and nail bus.