Louisana 2018 Blue Crab closures

[capt. ron]

Just received my letter from Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries (LWF) with the 2018 commercial crab closures.

The statewide 30-day closure prohibiting the commercial harvest of blue crab will not be in effect during the 2018 blue crab season.  Rather, the commercial harvest of FEMALE blue crab in Louisiana is prohibited for a two month period beginning March 1, 2018 through April 30, 2018.

Ghost trap/abandoned/derelict trap removal.
Lake Pontchartrain
February 1, 2018 through February 10, 2018
The use of crab traps shall be prohibited for a 10 day period.
All crab traps must be removed or will be considered abandoned or derelict traps.

More information can be obtained from the LWF at www.lwf.louisiana.gov

Ronnie

[evinrude 130]

A compromise then to eliminate total crabbing for 1 month, instead 2 months of no females taken. Keeps the crabbers in business for the full season.  We have  limits on females for comms and no females at all for recs.
Giving the females a chance to get pregnant and spawn if they make it to the breeding area.

[rdbeard]

Ronnie, that's good news ,for me anyway. Every year on my birthday, March 9th, the wife and i go out to eat crabs. Last year we had a hard time finding good crabs from a combination a cold snap in Texas i think and the closer in LA. Looks better this year i just hope the cold don't get down that far in March.

[capt. ron]

It will get cold in March but not in the 20's.  Mostly NE wind.  Won't last but a couple of days before it gets back into the 70's.

[Neither Crab]

A compromise then to eliminate total crabbing for 1 month, instead 2 months of no females taken. Keeps the crabbers in business for the full season.  We have  limits on females for comms and no females at all for recs.
Giving the females a chance to get pregnant and spawn if they make it to the breeding area.

It won't matter if they make it to the breeding area because Eastern Shore Maryland crab processors want to change the law in Maryland to be able to buy sponge crabs for picking crab meat that come from Virginia's portion of the Chesapeake Bay all season.