National Fisherman

Blue Crab

Undersized fish, blue crabs, and illegal nets were seized during a West Haven Harbor operation by DEEP. Photo courtesy of Connecticut DEEP

Two men charged with illegal fishing in Connecticut

NF Staff

The Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population has declined by 50 percent between 2010 and 2023. Photo courtesy of Larry Chowning

Researchers seek answers to Chesapeake blue crab decline

NF Staff

Water quality data from the Mississippi River watershed, like this collection of field parameters recorded at the Vicksburg, Miss., are used to compile NOAA's annual estimate of "dead zones" in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey photo/Nick Barsott

NOAA Gulf hypoxia 2026 forecast

NF Staff

The 2026 Chesapeake Bay winter blue crab dredge survey shows a 46 percent increase in the crab population from 2025. Photo by Larry Chowning

Larry_Chowning

Bay-wide blue crab survey shows 46 percent increase

Larry Chowning

The hull of the Miss Violet II is being fiberglassed and repowered with a new Cummins QSC 600 diesel engine to work in the Virginia blue crab pot fishery. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

The enduring pull of the wooden deadrise boat

Larry Chowning

Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project partners with Oyster Recovery Partnership to remove derelict fishing gear from Upper Chesapeake Bay. Photo courtesy of Oyster Recovery Partnership

Ghost gear sweep puts 40 watermen to work on the Chesapeake

NF Staff

Photo by Chris Hannant Photography / North Carolina Coastal Federation

NC fishermen launch 2026 lost gear cleanup

NF Staff

The action item to consider new management strategies under the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3 has been taken off the table. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

NC fishermen challenge proposed blue crab cuts

Carli Clancy

Crab pots collected from North Carolina’s inland waters. Photo courtesy of N.C. Coastal Federation

NC lost gear recovery effort pulls more than 2000 pots

NF Staff

Photo courtesy of daybydayphotography/ Shutterstock

Worms could help save Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs

Carli Clancy

This 1982 aluminum 42-footer was one of the first aluminum deadrise boats built on Chesapeake Bay in Deltaville, Va by Delta Marine. It is still working in Virginia's crab pot fishery today. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

Maryland’s aluminum deadrise pioneers

Larry Chowning