Blue Crab Industry Advisory Committee Meeting

[LewCrab]

Set for Thursday starting at 6 in Annapolis at the Calvary United Methodist Church.  Not even sure what this is about, but I assume they'll be reviewing a bunch topics like progress of the bay, crab regulations and plans moving forward.  Has anyone ever been to one of these meetings?  I'm hoping it's an open platform for everyone to express their opinions before the season ramps up.  There's an event page for the meeting on Facebook.

[reds]

Set for Thursday starting at 6 in Annapolis at the Calvary United Methodist Church.  Not even sure what this is about, but I assume they'll be reviewing a bunch topics like progress of the bay, crab regulations and plans moving forward.  Has anyone ever been to one of these meetings?  I'm hoping it's an open platform for everyone to express their opinions before the season ramps up.  There's an event page for the meeting on Facebook.

Here is the DNR info on the committee.  http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/blue-crab/index.aspx

Look Out.

[Mr. Breeze]

The Advisory Committee was created a few years ago to advise the DNR on issues concerning the commercial crab fishery. During the previous regime, the committee would meet well before the Winter Dredge Survey results were delivered.  The department would present several possible population results, and the watermen would decide what the female bushel limits would be for each scenario.  There were usually 2 to 3 meetings before the dredge survey was complete, and when the results were available, the department could immediately (or as fast as the government can) put in place the chosen bushel limits.  The past few years there has been a big push from a few unhappy crabbers from the very lower Eastern Shore to allow the harvest of 5 inch crabs for longer in the year, and last year, these same crabbers brought up the idea of removing the crew requirements for the different sized pot authorizations.

When the DNR first initiated commercial licenses, there was only a 300 pot licence. Even with the unlimited tfl, 300 pots was the max.  It was soon realized that 300 pots was not enough to be profitable so the department allowed crew authorizations.  A license holder could get an additional 300 pot authorization for each crew they carried on the boat, up to a maximum of 900 pots. So, a crabber who has a 900 pot authorization, but works by himself is allowed 300 pots, because he is not carrying any crew. That same license holder, if he carries one crew member, is allowed 600 pots, and if he carries two crew, 900.  Do you follow this? A pot authorization can only be utilized to its full extent if the corresponding crew are used. When the female bushel limits were instituted, these crew authorizations were taken into consideration with regard to the number of females that are allowed. the larger the license, the more females allowed.  This will allow for a considerable increase in the harvest of females, at a time when they are most needed to replenish our dwindling juvenile numbers, as the dredge survey shows juvies down a whopping 54%

Last year, at the crab committee meetings, a couple of crabbers that are licensed for 900 pots, complained that they couldn't take the 900 pot limit because they were trotlining, and didn't need to carry 2 crew, which is the whole reason that they have the 900 pot authorization in the first place. These couple of crabbers are the same ones that are asking for the extension to the 5 inch minimum.  I'm sure that the 5 inch crab issue will be discussed at the committee meeting on Thursday evening, and I'm just as sure that it will be denied, as the adult male population is down.  The argument for the removal of crew requirements will also be made.  In my mind, this is simply an attempt at a 'crab grab' by a small group of crabbers who had a crab feast benefit for the current governor's campaign. (They raised $60,000, give or take).

Given the shake-up in the crab program this past winter, with the firing of Brenda Davis, who had 28 years of dedication to sustainably managing the crab fishery, I'm sure a payback is going to be attempted, at the expense of the crab population.  The committee meeting is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.  My next post will be the agenda for the meeting.  I hope some of you can attend,  I'd like to meet some of you, and the meeting has promise to be quite a show 

[Mr. Breeze]

Here is the agenda.  I hope this works as it wouldn't let me copy and paste

[rdbeard]

Rich ,i'll see you there, Reds will you be there? if so i have some questions about my dipper, almost ready to go.

[reds]

Rich ,i'll see you there, Reds will you be there? if so i have some questions about my dipper, almost ready to go.

Yes I hope to be there.

I thought DNR higher ups had a directive to work with everything out in the open?
Why isn't the agenda posted for all to see, by DNR?

Reading about issues after the fact, is not the way to do business. Maybe Hogan needs to rattle DNR's cage a little more.

[Crabbyd]

Yes I hope to be there.

I thought DNR higher ups had a directive to work with everything out in the open?
Why isn't the agenda posted for all to see, by DNR?

Reading about issues after the fact, is not the way to do business. Maybe Hogan needs to rattle DNR's cage a little more.

[Mr. Breeze]

or maybe he's already rattled their cage.  I spoke with a member of dnr recently who said they were keeping their head down and mouth shut.

[Crabbyd]

or maybe he's already rattled their cage.  I spoke with a member of dnr recently who said they were keeping their head down and mouth shut.

if they are still talking "hail in Hail out" he hasn't rattled it enough.

[Carolina skiff121]

Rich ,i'll see you there, Reds will you be there? if so i have some questions about my dipper, almost ready to go.

il be there. probably the only 15 year old there

mike

[LewCrab]

Looking forward to the show.  Hope to meet some of you.  I'll be the guy wearing camo.      

[Neither Crab]

It's called  a Blue Crab "industry" advisory committee not a Blue Crab "conservation" advisory committee. You might be able to find more information about the agenda if you can look up  Senate Bill (SB) 59  and House Bill (HB) 1314 , SB 59 does mention establishing size limits on crabs.

[Carolina skiff121]

ill be in the white salt life shirt hope to see yall there

[rdbeard]

looks like SB59 and HB1314   give comm. trotliners 1 extra hr before the normal start time, so it would be 2 hrs before sunrise on memorial day, 4 th july and labor day and also the day before those holidays. Not sure it passed or will pass but it would start on the 4th july if it passed. I seen no other subject matter about crab size ect. in those bills.

[bgfishhook1]

il be there. probably the only 15 year old there

mike

I think that it is very commendable of a young lad like yourself to take an interest in such an important topic like this one, two thumbs up for you son !       KEEP ME POSTED.

BGFISHHOOK1

[Neither Crab]

looks like SB59 and HB1314   give comm. trotliners 1 extra hr before the normal start time, so it would be 2 hrs before sunrise on memorial day, 4 th july and labor day and also the day before those holidays. Not sure it passed or will pass but it would start on the 4th july if it passed. I seen no other subject matter about crab size etc. in those bills.

If that passes that will just let the coms. finish up early to get their crabs to market earlier and free up a spot an hour early for recs. Is that all days or just Holidays?

[rdbeard]

 looks like just those 3 holidays and the day before those holidays.

[reds]

looks like just those 3 holidays and the day before those holidays.

The bill passed and was signed.
It goes into effect July 1 IF...... And here is the big if....... The department must hold a public hearing.

If DNR drags its feet, 4th of July will be out for this year.

It also says..."Trotline gear may not be set earlier then starting time"..... So once again we have been screwed by the conservation people. They were pushing this last summer/Fall.

"Department may not adopt regulations to restrict a tidal fish licensee who catches crabs  
using trotline gear to a workday of less than 11 hours per day, including time spent setting
 or taking up gear;  
   (ii) Trotline gear may not be set earlier than the catch time
 established by the Department."

[Neither Crab]

The bill passed and was signed.
It goes into effect July 1 IF...... And here is the big if....... The department must hold a public hearing.

If DNR drags its feet, 4th of July will be out for this year.

If they hold a public hearing, who will object? A com. crabber can place gear  an hour early now .It won't matter if their crabbing  time is up an hour later or an hour earlier. If I were a recreational crabber on or a day before  a holiday and was near a com. crabber that was catching more than me , I would be happy if they had to stop crabbing an hour early so I could get in their spot to get my crabs and get home an hour early too. If the bill has already passed, I doubt they will drag their feet. It benefits both com. & recs.

[rdbeard]

 Reds i guess we don't know but will or can this public meeting this coming Thurs. cover those changes?