The most famous success story about the comeback of an endangered species in the Chesapeake Bay is the rockfish, or striped bass. When the rockfish was threatened by overfishing and stress from pollution in the bay's waters, Maryland imposed a moratorium on harvesting the species from 1985-1989. It was not popular; no one wanted to give up catching, selling, cooking or eating the official state fish.
But the move paid off in a spectacular rebound of the species that continues today.
Blue crabs were facing a similar dire situation. In 1993, the crab population in the bay was estimated to be around 852 million; by 2008, it had dropped to 283 million –low enough to threaten the long-term survival of the crabbing industry.
It's likely the same factors are responsible for the crab's decline — persistent pollution that poisons the water and destroys grassy underwater habitat favored by the crabs, exacerbated by attempts to maintain harvest levels, at least until last year. Watermen say pollution is chiefly responsible; scientists point to overharvesting.
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