by Larry Chowning
FT. EUSTIS—Virginia’s winter crab dredge fishery is banned for the 2024-25 year.
After a public hearing on Monday, October 28, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) voted 6-1 to close the winter dredge season for blue crabs for the 2024/2025 season.
Virginia’s winter crab dredge fishery, that harvests between 80% to 90% female crabs that spawn in the spring, is one of the most controversial fisheries on the bay and that all came to light this year.
It all started when Virginia Watermen’s Association president and Virginia Crab Management Advisory Committee (CMAC) member James “J. C.” Hudgins recommended CMAC request VMRC staff to come up with guidelines for an experimental crab dredge fishery with a limit of “eight to 10 boats.” The CMAC board voted 10-4 in June in favor of sending the matter to VMRC for consideration.
Hudgins says he introduced the reopening proposal to provide more winter jobs for watermen who….
