Dredge report in chesapeake bay11/15/2023 ![]() ![]() Once they have mated, female crabs migrate to the saltier waters at the mouth of the Bay to spawn. Mating often occurs in shallower waters that support underwater grass beds. They are most active from spring through fall, but commonly burrow into the Bay’s bottom sediments during winter to wait out the cold. These grass beds form a crucial habitat that provides food, shelter, and protection when crabs are young and when they mate and molt (shed their shell).ĭepending on the time of year, blue crabs can be found in different parts of the Bay. They eat a range of foods including mussels, oysters, small crustaceans, and decaying plant and animal matter, and they are often found in the Bay’s underwater grass beds. They are found in coastal waters along the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico in the United States, although their range stretches as far south as Argentina in South America.īlue crabs have bright blue claws and four pairs of legs-the rearmost of which have paddle-like ‘fins’ that allow them to swim throughout the water column. Known as the "beautiful swimmer," blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, are the most iconic Chesapeake Bay species. ![]()
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