Blue Crabs, originally uploaded by Tess.
A recent commenter on this website prompted me to do some research on the sustainability of local blue crabs. I love crab, particularly crabcakes. I order them every chance I get. Of course, I don’t want to be responsible for depleting the Bay’s supply, so I did some checking around. Here is what I learned:
According to the Blue Ocean Institute, "blue crabs mature early and carry their eggs for a short period, making them more resilient to fishing pressure than other crab species.” Despite this, Maryland blue crabs are dwindling rapidly. Because of coastal erosion, over fishing, and disease, “the blue crab population is down 70 percent since the 1990s,” says the Bay Journal. The data certainly tell a bleak story: a survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science “showed the number of adult crabs at about 120 million adults. In the 11 years from 1997 through 2007, the number of adult crabs averaged 150 million. In contrast, adult crab abundance averaged about 300 million between 1990 and 1996.”
There is good news. In the interest of sustainability, Maryland and Virginia have moved to reduce female crab harvests by 34 percent. (I think the collapse of the local oyster industry is still fresh in everyone's mind).
Unfortunately, the restrictions are hitting fishermen hard, a recent Associated Press article reported. “I want to make a living on the water," says Randy Plummer, a chain-smoking 19-year-old who works on Kellam's crab rig. "But there ain't no future in it. Everybody knows that."
Sounds like doomsday for Chesapeake Bay crabs.
The seafood watch lists provide conflicting reports on eating crabs.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List has blue crabs listed as “Good Alternative,” which basically means go ahead and eat them. This label is not the best, as in "Good Choice," but they are not on the “Avoid” list. They note that Maryland in particular has made efforts to regulate sustainable harvesting.
The Blue Ocean Institute gives blue crabs a yellow fish symbol. Translation: “Some problems exist with this species' status or catch/farming methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.”
So I'm a little confused. Clearly, the Chesapeake Bay holds fewer crabs than it did before we decided to gobble them up. But, it seems that in a rare example of cooperation between fishermen, scientist, and politicians, that efforts to manage the sustainability of blue crabs are underway. So does that mean, since, ostensibly, policymakers are managing the industry and reducing harvesting, that we can eat the crabs that are harvested? Is eating crabs guilt free? I would like to think so, but I know my judgment is clouded with thoughts of where I'm getting my next crabcake.
