The winter dredge survey, which takes place from December through March, samples 1,500 sites across the Chesapeake Bay. The survey recorded declines across all age groups of crabs — adult males, spawning-age females, and juveniles.
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The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey estimates 317 million blue crabs are in the Chesapeake Bay in 2024. This is a slight decrease from the 323 million crabs estimated last year.