The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, estimates 238 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2025, a decrease from last year’s 317 million crabs. The results showed decreases in the abundance of adult male and female crabs, as well as a decline in the juvenile population, marking the sixth consecutive year of below average juvenile recruitment found in the survey. “We saw a very high mortality rate among blue crabs this winter, likely due to several cold snaps,” said Mandy Bromilow, DNR’s blue crab program manager. “With the results of the stock assessment next year, we hope to have more insight on what could be contributing to the ongoing low juvenile recruitment and what we can do to support the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs. Until then, we need to maintain caution in our management approach for blue crabs.” This year’s total estimated abundance is the second lowest in the history of the survey, which has operated since 1990. The lowest was 226 million crabs in 2022. The juvenile abundance of 103 million in 2025 was a decrease from 138 million last […]
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