Check out Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
Let me assure you that slogan does not refer to the attitude of Maryland residents or visitors. It refers to blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay. In fact, Maryland is a very friendly place!
Maryland is for Crabs became an official tourism slogan of the State in 1989 when the Callinectes sapidus (blue crab) became Maryland's "State Crustacean". By the way, Maryland is not the only place to have blue crabs in their waters; you'll find them in Virginia (also on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay), North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Texas.
Maryland Governor O'Malley and Virginia Governor Kaine recently appeared together to announce new regulations they hope will save a declining crab population in the Chesapeake and its tributaries. To make a long speech short: Crab harvesting will be severely limited in the foreseeable future.
You know what happens when supply goes down: prices go up. Why not start your crab feast earlier in the day by going crabbing with your guests to catch your own crabs. It might be fun! No license is required when you crab from the many docks, piers, bridges, boats and miles of Maryland shoreline using dip nets or hand-lines.
But keep in mind these new restrictions on recreational crabbing:
- No harvesting of female crabs, except for soft crabs.
- A limit of 4-5 dozen crabs per individual (must be licensed).
- A limit of 10-12 dozen crabs per boat (2 or more licensed crabbers on board).
- No crabbing after sunset on the Bay and tributaries.
- One-hour difference between recreational and commercial trotliners.
With this beautiful spring weather, what Marylander isn't already thinking CRAB FEAST? Just be prepared to pay a pretty penny, if you don't catch your own.
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- Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County Maryland
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For answers to your real estate questions about Bowie, Crofton, Davidsonville, Fort Meade, Gambrills, Odenton and other communities in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, contact Margaret Woda at Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. or simply click on a button below for information you can review online at your own pace:
Margaret..... I love Blue Claw crabs and the crabs from Maryland. Thanks for the little lesson about Maryland's slogan and how many you can catch. I love visiting the Harve De Grace area just for the crabs and that one good restaurant down by the water. I can't remember the name though.
Margaret,
My father, who was an avid athlete who enjoyed and played several sports, enjoyed crabbing as a pasttime more than any other recreational activity!!! Thanks, Fran
Margaret- I see your restrictions on blue crabs are getting as tough as ours are on crabs out here. Salmon too are being restricted. We might see $40.00 a pound for wild salmon this season. I am not sure what that will do to the salmon fishing industry but hopefully a solution that works for all can be put into place.
Best,
Scott
I'm ready! Love to sit around the table with friends and pick crabs, juice dripping off our elbows. Now that's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. My mouth is watering.
Margaret - that would be great, but it looks like crabs might be expensive this year. Option 2: a cruise on the Baltimore Harbour - maybe a mid-week lunchtime one, so it would be less expensive.
Sharon - Crabs with coffee - 'just doesn't sound as good as crabs with cold beer.
Thesa - What kind of crabs do you have in Oregon?