Virginia reconsiders winter crab dredge fishery

[jack1747]

https://www.nationalfisherman.com/mid-atlantic/virginia-reconsiders-winter-crab-dredge-fishery-closed-since-2008

Virginia is going to study bringing back the state's crab dredge fishery that has been closed since 2008.


"Anecdotal history has it that watermen dredging for oysters out of Hampton Roads in the 19th century ventured a little too far over into the Bay's deep water channel and brought up a haul full of sooks, or female hard crabs. The discovery of large numbers of female crabs migrating in winter to higher salinity waters of the lower bay to spawn in the spring led to the first licensing of the winter crab dredge fishery in 1904, and to the establishment of a fishery that lasted for 104 years."

[Crabslayer]

Nothing like eating a SANDY crab.