Chesapeake Bay blue crab population rebounds: What it means for summer prices

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]New today. With the price of just about everything going up, there may be some good news for Chesapeake Bay blue crabs heading into the summer. That is if the law of supply and demand holds true.

[00:00:11]Because as Maryland Bureau Chief Brad Bell reports, after a really bad crab year in 2025, it looks like supply will actually be up.

[00:00:21]>> Well, for many people, Memorial Day weekend means a return of summertime traditions. And for many, that includes sitting down with a mess of crabs to enjoy with friends and family. It is also the time of year when scientists release their estimates of the crab population. Last year, the outlook was bleak. This year, the news is much better. Every winter, scientists set out on the bay to drag dredge baskets through the mud where crabs hide out for the season. They count and measure what they catch. The result is what is called the winter dredge survey. It's an estimate of the total crab population in the bay. Well, last year that count was 2138 million crabs, down from 317 million the year before and way below the long-term average. It triggered concern for the resource and in seafood markets like Captain Whites and Oxen Hill, it meant significantly higher prices. This year, much better news.

[00:01:24]That count has jumped to 349 million crabs. Maryland's crab program manager Mandy Bromelo calls it encouraging news.

[00:01:34]>> Overall, we saw an increase in total blue crab population. We're up about 46% from last year. Um, this was primarily driven by an increase in juveniles. Um, we saw about 120% increase in juvenile abundance this year. So, those really small crabs. Um, we also saw a slight increase in our adult male population.

[00:01:56]Um, we saw a decrease in our adult females, um, which isn't great, but the overall increase in the population is pretty good news and seems pretty promising for the coming year.

[00:02:07]>> Now, I'll be back at 5 with more on this story. What a long time Chesapeake waterman has to say about the science and also some tips on how to pick crabs in Oxen Hill. Brad Bell, 7 News.

[00:02:22]>> Oh yeah, there's a right way to do it.

[00:02:24]Thank you, Brad. And today we are asking you to weigh in. What is your favorite seasoning for your crab feast? Is it Old Bay, Jo Spice Company, or is it Tony Sashur's?

[00:02:40]>> To vote, all you have to do is scan the QR code on your screen. So far, 84, it just went up. 84% say Old Bay. And as I'm looking at this, there's only one right answer. I'm not going to say what it is, but there's only one right answer. We will continue to update you on the results throughout the evening. You can also find the poll on wja.com.

[00:03:02]>> Oh, people are grabbing their phones as we speak. Those numbers shooting up.

[00:03:06]Okay.