Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are at their most plentiful in seven years, scientists say.

'There are nearly twice as many juvenile crabs in Chesapeake Bay waters as there were a year ago, according to an annual population survey.

Scientists in Maryland and Virginia found that the bay’s crabs are at their most plentiful in seven years.

The number of spawning-age females, a key measure of future population growth potential, reached 190 million, a 29 percent increase over the previous winter.

With a total of nearly 600 million crabs in the bay, the species is close to or above benchmarks that indicate a healthy and sustainable population.'>>>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/chesapeake-bay-blue-crabs-are-at-their-most-plentiful-in-seven-years-scientists-say/2019/05/06/9c7ab8c4-7024-11e9-9f06-5fc2ee80027a_story.html?