Guys and Gals, the DNR's Chesapeake Bay-wide Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey for 2002 is out and the news is not good. URL is:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/crab/winter_dredge.htmlUnfortunately, the number of crabs that winter-over in the bay continues to decline. Estimated numbers dropped from a high of 806,365,071 crabs 1990 to a low of 274,906,106 crabs in 2002. The only positive note is the 2002 survey shows an increase over the 2001 survey of 238,101,468 crabs. Table 5 from the survey (attached below) tells the sad story.
ESTIMATED ABSOLUTE ABUNDANCE:
Estimated absolute abundance is the estimate of how many blue crabs are over-wintering in the Chesapeake Bay. The number is based on the density of crabs (crabs/m2), but multiplied over the entire sample area (9814.57 km2). The estimated for each year are listed in Table 5:
Table 5. Annual estimates of over-wintering abundance (in numbers) of blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay, 1990 – 2002.
Year Abundance
1990 806,365,071
1991 839,440,172
1992 374,327,700
1993 866,822,822
1994 525,570,224
1995 494,948,765
1996 750,814,605
1997 684,664,403
1998 357,446,639
1999 313,379,220
2000 299,246,239
2001 238,101,468
2002 274,906,106
Crabpop
