Oxford, Pennsylvania, fondly remembers Jerome Rodio five years after Vibrino vulnificus quickly took his life after he was scratched by a crab trap.
Summer is upon us, and with that comes crab season, the tradition of picking crabs heavily spiced with Old Bay and washing the tasty crustaceans down with a cold one.
But there is bad news for those wishing to indulge in that summer pleasure as lower populations lead to less supply and, of course, higher prices.
The population of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay has dropped to the second-lowest level since a survey began in 1990, according to an annual survey conducted in Maryland and Virginia.
The results of the winter dredge survey found that the blue crab population dipped to 238 million, down from 317 million last year and the lowest since 2022 when the survey estimated the figure at 226 million.
"The red flags are flying for blue crabs," Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden was quoted as saying in a news release. "With more than five years of below average crab numbers, it is clear that changing conditions in the bay are undermining the current management of this important species."
The survey, though, was met with skepticism from crab retailers. Steve Reichard, who owns S&S Produce & Crab House in Red Lion, said, "It's all political. They do it for one reason, to keep the prices up. There is no shortage of crabs."
S&S just marked its 51st year in business and Reichard said, "I probably sell more crabs than anyone in the county. I have to have crabs. That's what I do for a living."
The prices certainly have gone up, he said. This year, a dozen will start at $50 and a bushel at $350. "The cost is astronomical," Reichard said.
The survey, conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, found declines in all segments of the crab population, from adult males and females to juvenile crabs. The population of juvenile crabs was particularly alarming, according to the survey, recording a significantly lower number of the young critters estimated in 2024.
The figures can fluctuate dramatically from year to year. For instance, the survey estimated the crab population at 828 million in 1991 and a year later reported that number was 367 million. In 1993, the survey estimated the population at 852 million.
In recent years, though, the trend has been downward. Since 2019, the survey has found declining populations overall, from 594 in 2019 to 405 million the following year to 282 million in 2021.
A number of factors contribute to the fluctuating numbers, according to the survey, including weather trends, the number of predators and availability of suitable habitats. Specifically, the survey cites the loss of underwater grasses and the rise of invasive predators, such as blue catfish. The study also acknowledged the threats caused by climate change and polluted runoff from upstream that flows into the bay, particularly from Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River watershed.
The precise causes of the blue crabs' decline, though, are still somewhat mysterious to scientists, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation reported. They expect to get a better handle on the causes late next year after Maryland and Virginia complete a comprehensive assessment of the blue crab population - which differs from the annual survey, described as a "snapshot in time." It is the first such assessment conducted since 2011.
A March poll conducted by the foundation found that residents in the region believe the blue crab is the critter most in need of protection, an indication of its culinary, cultural and economic significance.
"The latest blue crab numbers are extremely distressing," the foundation's Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore said in a statement. "Blue crabs are a staple on our plates, in our water, and in our culture."