WILLIAMSBURG, Va., June 2 -- William and Mary issued the following news release:
The following story originally appeared on the website for William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS. - Ed.
An estimated 349 million blue crabs live in the Chesapeake Bay, according to results from the annual Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey conducted by William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This represents a 46% increase from the 238 million estimated in 2025.
Most of the gains came from juvenile crabs and adult males, which increased 121% to 228 million and 25% to 37 million, respectively. Scientists are encouraged by the juvenile numbers, which are at their highest levels since 2019. While the increase in adult ...