By: Virginia Williams
Recently I read an article talking about blue crabs and the blue crab industry in the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is located in Maryland and serves as one of the biggest fisheries and sanctuaries for the blue crab. With this said, the blue crab is a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay food web. They prey on fish, birds and even other blue crabs. They also enhance the salt marsh communities by feeding on marsh periwinkles. Needless to say, the blue crab plays an important roll in the ecosystem. If you’ve ever tried blue crab (if you haven’t, they are delicious), you’ll understand why it also has the highest value of any Chesapeake Bay commercial fishery. The bay’s blue crab harvest in 2000 was said to be valued at $55 million; however, even with this seemingly successful net worth, the blue crab industry is struggling. Factors such as fertilizer runoff, water pollution and overfishing threaten the blue crab population. Fortunately, the article I read stated that the National Marine Fisheries Services has awarded Maryland $2.2 million in federal fishery disaster funding in order to revitalize the blue crab population as well as to assist the fishermen who depend on it. Specifically, the funding will help hire watermen to monitor blue crabs and to restore their habitat. It will also enforce blue crab regulations and ultimately restructure blue crab fisheries to provide greater long-term market stability. I find comfort in knowing that this bottom dwelling crustacean has a somewhat brighter future and that I will still have a delicious crab feast to return to when I go home!
15 comments:
I am also glad to hear that the government is taking action in order to save our fishing industry. The fishing industry is not only a valuable source of delecious food but also a way of life for many americans living near the coastal regions of the U.S. This however brings me to my question. Is a 2.2 million dollar budget going to have any chance of saving a 55 million dollar a year industry? I can not see fishermen taking a substantial pay cut in order to help protect the blue crab in Chesapeake Bay.
Somehow, the money does not add up. If this is a 55 million dollar industry, then the fishermen will probably risk a lot to keep their business going. I do not think that this 2.2 million dollar budget will make much of a dent in this crisis. Someone is going to lose in this situation whether it be the fishermen or the crab eaters.
-Sarah Gardner
Shouldn't we be more concerned with ecological stability than market stability. To solve problem we should be acting more as environmentalists and conservationists than economists? This $2.2 million in federal fishery disaster funding may help and its a step in the right direction but ultimately the ecology of the system as a whole must be maintained, especially at our current consumption levels.
Ecological stability and market stability are certainly two different issues but ultimately could lead to the same outcome: depletion of the resource.
I would argue this since the market is inherently unstable: by far the majority of fisheries are managed at a rate where extraction is greater than regeneration, and thus the market will tend to fail.
Ecological stability can come from additional external factors, such as the fertilizers as mentioned. Perhaps a great example of such a thing is the eutrophication of the Mississippi delta.
I do not think 2.2 million is enough to help replenish and save the crabs, and I don't think it is enough to help save the fishing industry. I think one of the biggest problems here is the ecological habitat of the crab. Their environment is being destroyed by fertilizer and their populations are dwindling due to the size of the Blue Crab industry. The people who are going to lose in this situation will be both the fisherman AND the crab-eaters. 2.2 million will not keep fisherman from fishing in this area, nor will it help to restore the habitat.
I agree, i do not think the industry can be deemed "saved." If a problem could be fixed with one lump sum all of the worlds problems would be fixed. However, i find hope in the fact that some money is being donated to the cause because in previously years there was pretty much none. I've spent a lot of time on the bay and have interacted with many watermen, and yes, although they want to catch as many fish as possible for more profit, most seemed aware of the problems with the crab population and habitats and adamant about fixing it. Also, take note that this is only one article talking about one budget, which excludes all the foundations, non-profits, government funding and private donors that are also contributing
This is definitely a good step, not only for people who eat the blue crab, but also for the blue crab itself and thus the entire surrounding ecosystem, as you mentioned it is a keystone species. However, I am concerned with how the funding money is being spent. You said some of it will go to 'restore their habitat', but with causes such as fertilizer runoff, once their habitat it restored, won't it just be destroyed again if the pollution and fertilizer runoff continues? I think the problem needs to be tackled from the sources, not from the consequences.
Yes, blue crab is delicious! Yet, it's not just a pleasure of our own , as you said it is a keystone species and therefore in an incredibly critical part of he whole ecosystem. It addition this crab makes up the most productive commercial and recreational fisheries in the bay. For these many reasons it is quite critical that we do everything to ensure their health and survival as a species, but funds of 2.2 million dollars will clearly not be enough. Until the Nat. Marine Fisheries Services can come up with more money, we should find other ways of solving this problem. The causes: fertilizer run off, pollution, and overfishing are all problems that the public can easily help to solve as well. The community of the Chesapeake Bay needs to work together and act fast to save their precious ecosystems for all the amazing creatures they are a home to.
I commend the government for taking action in light of the blue crab fishing industry. However, the amount of money granted should be closely monitored to insure that the most urgent problems are taken care of first. If the industry typically brings in close to $50 million dollars, how is $2.2 million gonna do anything to stop fertilizer runoff and other harmful pollutants? I think the government needs to issue a policy forcing fishing companies to give back 1% of whatever their profit is to help contribute to the cause.
It is good to see that the government is willing to help and has taken action in the issue. But I also don't see the math adding up. With it being a 55 million dollar industry per year what is 2.2 million even going to do. Also the contamination of the water was shown to be hurting the crab population so I think more thought should go to cleaning up the area also.
http://hubpages.com/hub/fishing-tackle-review then click read other hubs by thor6. Or http://ragnasuns.blogspot.com This blog is dedicated to the men and women of the crab fishing fleet.
This is an excellent blog you have , well laid out and plenty of good info..
My hat goes off to these brave lunatics who risk their lives to put this delicacy
on our tables. and to Sig Hansen,i always knew the vikings got to America first. Columbus was to drunk to notice he was wrong.Take care and be safe out there
Pete
I think it is a great step and a good idea to save these keystone species but overall 2.2 million dollars does not even come close to a 55 million dollar a year industry. Just like our reading this week humans are rational and self interested and I just can't see fisherman cut back and intentionally make less of a profit than they know their capable of. There needs to be another way or incentive to save these species.
I believe that one of the first steps that needs to be taken to keep the blue crab alive is to clean up The Chesapeake Bay. Blue Crabs use many parts of the Bay during their life cycle. They live as adults in the shallow areas of the water but their larvae must be released into the open ocean and then they swim back and develop into crabs. They need protection at many levels in order to ensure their survival. For example, if the ocean becomes too polluted, the larvae may die before they can develop and that would seriously hurt the crab population.
It is good to see that the money put into this is not simply a subsidy, but is actually going to help the blue crab remain a resource that is valued by people and its ecosystem. The laws of the economy are good and at work here, because of your high demand and willingness to pay to eat this crab, you are providing the incentive for it to be protected (as a resource) in the long run, and this is good for the crab. If only this could work for other species that were in danger.
David McKinley
A Frontline documentary called "Poisoned Waters" addressed this problem. Confined Animal Feeding Operations in Maryland largely contribute to the crisis. According to the documentary, manure and other waste are released into local waterways which eventually make their way to the Chesapeake Bay. I believe regulating non-point source pollution and increasing penalties for point source pollution can help reduce eutrophication problems in the Chesapeake.
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