U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez issued a state of disaster declaration for Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, a first and critical step in making financial aid available to watermen facing harvest limits.
The declaration comes in response to a joint request Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine made in May. The move means that Maryland is eligible for federal assistance to aid watermen and restore the population of soft-shell crabs, which has dropped 70 percent in 15 years.
“Watermen and their families in Maryland and Virginia who harvest blue crabs are being hit hard by this significant decline,” Gutierrez said in a statement. “This determination recognizes the importance of the blue crab harvest to the Chesapeake Bay community and the impact this decline is having on the regional economy.”
Earlier this year, O’Malley and Kaine ordered a 34 percent reduction in the harvest of female blue crabs. Maryland also plans to end the commercial female harvest Oct. 23, earlier than in past years, and put females off-limits completely to recreational crabbers.
Congressional leaders continue to work out the details of the resolution, which will fund the government through March 2009, according to U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski. Nationwide, Mikulski is fighting for $75 million to restore crab populations, a cut of which could go to Maryland, her staff said.
In requests earlier this year, Maryland officials said they needed $20 million to alleviate the decline.
Maryland watermen will likely “work” for the aid, such as helping to rebuild crab habitats or escorting scientists on the water, officials said.
Examiner staff writer Sara Michael contributed to this report.
[email protected]
