The blue crab, the Chesapeake Bay’s most valuable catch and a closely watched proxy for the health of its underwater ecosystem, is less abundant now than at any time since scientists began regularly tracking the species in 1990.
The Chesapeake Bay currently is home to 158 million adult female blue crabs, an increase of 17 million from 2020 but below the goal of 196 million, according to new estimates.
Figures come from the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2021 Blue...
