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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 (VIMS), estimates 317 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2024, compared to 323 million crabs last year. The number of spawning age female crabs decreased from 152 million crabs in 2023 to 133 million crabs in 2024, but is still well above the management threshold of 72.5 million crabs. The threshold indicates whether the female crab population is being overfished or not.  Adult male crabs also experienced a slight decrease from 55 million crabs in 2023 to 46 million crabs in 2024. The number of juvenile crabs in the Chesapeake Bay has been below average for the past four years, but rose to 138 million juvenile crabs in 2024. Blue crab reproduction is naturally variable and influenced by many factors such as oceanic conditions, available nursery habitat, predation, and other environmental imp

Chesapeake bayUnited statesVirginia institute of marine scienceMandy bromilowLynn fegleyBlue crab industry advisory committeeMaryland department of natural resourcesChesapeake bay blue crab winter dredgeChesapeake bay stock assessment committeeWinter dredgeMaryland departmentNatural resourcesVirginia instituteMarine scienceBoating services director lynnWinter dredge survey