The Chesapeake Bay blue crab stock assessment, released in early June, shows the blue crab population is declining. Specifically, the study shows that the crabs are declining in female, male and juvenile populations.
Additionally, the results showed there were roughly 50 percent fewer blue crabs in the Bay in 2023 than there were in 2011. This further supports the long-term decline of blue crabs across the Chesapeake Bay.
The assessment also looked at the potential causes for the decline. These categories include blue catfish predation, low-oxygen dead zones, and habitat loss. It was determined no single category was greater than the rest. However, what remains clear is the population is under immense stress…