Bay Crabbing Limits Debated by Virginia Maryland Panel
About 120 watermen attended a Virginia backed hearing as the Br Santa Baw Crabby Committee weighs new rules to curb crabbing. Proposals include a possible one day per week ban or one month off season, with enforcement along patrol lines and the Chesapeake Bay region. Maryland blue crab landings for September reached 2.2 million pounds, with total monthly and yearly catches reflecting a potential decline over the next year. Fisheries ecologist Thomas J. Miller notes spawning and harvest patterns influencing regulation.