25 several
approaches to collecting data on the crab harvest, its characteristics and the effort
expended to land the catch have been implemented, revised and modified. However,
it is only in very recent years that attempts have been made to verify the level of
compliance or accuracy of the various reporting systems. Accordingly, the reliability of
indices of effort and harvest developed from the available time series remain an open question.
Rugolo et al. 1997, Van Engel 1999 and Fogarty and Miller 2004 all commented
on the need for caution in interpreting both the catch and effort time series see
Section 5.
4.1. Virginia
Commercial fishing for blue crab in the Commonwealth of Virginia is regulated
by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission VMRC. There are a variety of gear types
that can be legally used to harvest crabs within the Commonwealth, but crab pots,
peeler pots and dredges predominate. Crab pots can be fished in both the mainstem of
Chesapeake Bay and in the tributaries. No person may place, set or fish more than a
combined total of 500 hard crab pots in Virginia tidal waters. Peeler pots are fished on a
more seasonal basis, and can be “baited” with live adult crabs. Crab dredges were
restricted historically to the mainstem of the bay during winter months. Since 2008,
Virginia and the other jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay have implemented a
management strategy aimed as conserving females. For Virginia, this policy led to a
closure of the season for females from October 27 through November 30 and a closure
of the winter dredge fishery since 2008. Together these two regulations were expected
to reduce the female harvest by 23. Virginia also extended the closure period of the
blue crab spawning sanctuary in 2008, having it begin on May 1
st
rather than June 1
st
in order
to protect female crabs that spawn in the spring VMRC 2008. Season and time restrictions have been enacted, and differ among the different
fishery sectors. Minimum size limits have been set for male hard crabs, immature
female hard crabs, and soft and peeler crabs. No size limits exist for adult female hard
crabs. Dark sponge brown through black coloration crabs must be returned to the
water alive. For a complete listing of regulations, see the VMRC website
http:www.mrc.state.va.usregindex.htm .
A principal feature of blue crab management in Virginia has been the use of
sanctuary areas in the lower Bay to protect females on the spawning grounds. The
Virginia Blue Crab Spawning Sanctuary was established in 1941 and has expanded since
that time, now covering 264,438 hectares from VAMD border to the Bay mouth and
out in ocean waters as far south as the NC border R. OReilly, VMRC, pers. com. ‐‐
Lipcius and Stockhausen 2002, Lipcius et al. 2003. The sanctuary is closed to
commercial harvest from 1 May to 15 September.
26
4.2. Maryland
