Baltimore Seafood News: A Chilly Chesapeake Bay Could Lead to Crab Shortage
Maryland crabbing season is officially underway. However, a chillier than normal Chesapeake Bay could be bad news for watermen, seafood dealers, and local Baltimore seafood restaurants.
As of last Thursday, the average water temperature off Annapolis was 42.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest the Bay has been since 1986, according to oceanographer Doug Wilson of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“The cold temperatures are likely to keep early catches low,” said Brenda Davis, blue crab program manager of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “Until the water warms up, crabs are not very catchable.”
Why?
According to Chesapeake Bay scientists, the chilly water could be keeping the blue crabs from stirring from their winter slumber.
“This could delay the normal activity of blue crabs for this time of the year,” said Donald F. Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “But that doesn’t mean they won’t become abundant when it warms.”
And, as Wilson pointed out to the Baltimore Sun, bay water temperatures tend to rise rapidly in March. A better indicator of the Chesapeake Bay crab population will come in a few weeks, when Maryland and Virginia release their annual survey of the bay’s crab population.
Until then, don’t panic; just head to Catonsville Gourmet! We have cream of crab or Maryland crab soup for $4.99. We have crab dip for $11.99. We have crispy crab cigars for $11.95. We have a two crab cake dinner for $26.99 served with our ham and potato hash and French green beans. And that is just the beginning!
So what are you waiting for? Hop in your car and head on down to Catonsville, Maryland for the freshest seafood in the Baltimore area.
If you have any questions, please contact Catonsville Gourmet by calling 410-788-0005 or visit CatonsvilleGourmet.com today! Call Ahead Seating (30 minutes) available. You can also follow Catonsville Gourmet on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.
Location: 829 Frederick Rd. Catonsville, MD. 21228
Source:
Could chilly Chesapeake spell slow crab season? Baltimore Sun