MARYLAND - The daily male hard crab catch limits for this season are out.
But commercial watermen are on the fence with the Department of Natural Resource's decision.
Last year DNR placed limits on male crabs for the first time. That was because of low population numbers. This year's dredge survey found a jump in the male crab population, but this years limits are not what watermen wanted to see.
Watermen were expecting either no limits or higher bushel limits. The new daily limits for male hard crabs vary by date, type of license, and container.
Crabbers we spoke with say they're happy with 'no limits' for the month of July, part of September, and Labor Day weekend.
But they wish the emergency regulations weren't the new status quo.
Talbot Watermen Association, Jeff Harrison says, "there's no real emergency. Crabs do this. They're up and down and they can boom and bust from one year to the next. We're on an uptrend this year. That's why we were hoping to either increase the male limits or just get rid of them all together."
Harrison added, "last year they saw a dip in the male crabs and juvenile crabs, basically. So they imposed emergency regulations in an emergency fashion which we understand. But, what were trying to say is it's not an emergency anymore."
Watermen will be able to use lugs starting this season. Those are plastic containers to hold crabs. That's as long as they are a part of DNR's pilot program.
DNR says the catch must be kept either entirely in bushels or entirely in lugs. containers may not be mixed on a vessel.
To view the commercial limits for click here.
