Rising Fuel Costs on the Chesapeake Bay Drive Blue Crab Prices Higher

Local watermen say the squeeze at the pump is hitting consumers at the seafood counter

CHESAPEAKE BAY, Va. — Watermen up and down the Bay say surging fuel costs are cutting deep into their margins, forcing many to pass the expense along to consumers. Running a crab boat isn’t cheap under any circumstances — but with diesel prices remaining stubbornly high, even a short run out to the crab pots can cost hundreds of dollars before a single bushel is pulled from the water.

Wholesale prices for No. 1 jimmy crabs — the large males prized for their meat — have climbed noticeably compared to recent seasons, according to local seafood dealers. Those increases are trickling down to backyard crab feasts and waterfront restaurants alike, where a dozen steamed crabs can now fetch prices that would have seemed steep just a few years ago.

Seafood market owners say they’re trying to absorb what they can, but the economics are difficult to ignore. Fuel represents one of the largest variable costs for the Bay’s independent crabbers, most of whom operate small, family-run operations with little cushion to weather prolonged price spikes.

Watermen must absorb a variety of expenses beyond fuel, including bait, labor, maintenance and equipment repairs.

Conservation groups note that fuel costs also affect how far watermen are willing to travel, which can inadvertently concentrate harvesting pressure in areas closer to shore — a dynamic worth watching as crab population management remains an ongoing concern.

For now, Bay seafood lovers are being encouraged to buy local and buy early in the season, when supply is typically strongest. As for relief at the pump — and at the crab pot — watermen say they’re hoping for calmer waters ahead, in more ways than one.

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Wayne Creed

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