NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP)- Virginia's blue crab season is off to a strong start but some plants are struggling to find workers to process the meat.
Normally, most crabs are still dormant during the commercial season's first few weeks. The season opened Monday with watermen returning to docks with bushels full of crabs.
Poquoson waterman Jimmy Winder said that crabs are stirring because of the warm weather.
Processing plants reported strong opening day numbers. But Graham & Rollins Seaford president Johnny Graham says his company might have to turn away watermen because of a worker shortage.
Graham said the Hampton-based company doesn't have enough local workers. Migrant workers from Mexico won't arrive until at least mid-April because of delays in the federal H2-B visa program's application process.
