Annapolis, MD - Results from a years-long "mark-recapture" study now show that the numbers of blue crabs being taken from the Bay by recreational crabbers may be higher than previously thought. In order to keep the crab population healthy, it is essential to have a clear count of crabs being taken not only by commercial means, but recreational means as well. In order to help with more accurate numbers, biologists and local watermen came together in 2014 and 2015 to tag 6,800 crabs across 15 regions on Maryland’s western and eastern shores. This technique is called "mark-recapture." A reward was offered to anybody who caught a tagged crab and called the phone number on the tag to report details on the its location and if it was caught using commercial or recreational methods. Read more about this study here.
