Good news for blue crab fans: the Chesapeake Bay dredge report is showing great numbers for the 2020 season.

In case you were wondering, there's a way to tell how the upcoming crab season will be. Every year, the Chesapeake is tested for a random sampling of the blue crab population. This year, the 2020 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey showed excellent numbers in several categories.

An estimated 141 million adult female crabs were reported, well above the conservancy goal of 70 million each year. Adult male crabs are estimated at 79 million, which is higher than the long-term average of 77 million. At 185 million, the juvenile crabs are on the decline from last year, but their population is mainly affected by environmental changes like the weather and water temperatures. All in all, the report estimates a total of 405 million crabs in the bay for 2020.

“The results indicate the population remains in a healthy, sustainable condition. Continued diligence to our management plan for blue crabs will ensure protection of the resource and sustainability of the fishery.” — Michael Luisi, Director of Maryland Natural Resources Fisheries Monitoring and Assessment

This is great news for crab lovers and commercial and recreational crabbers alike. If you're looking to try your hand at crabbing this year, the official season runs from April 1 to December 31. Start off slow, with a hand line, and branch out from there. You can find a full listing of the Maryland state regulations on crabbing here.

For more information, check out the full summary of the 2020 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey.

Will you be enjoying some local blue crabs this season? Do you buy them, or catch them yourself? Let us know in the comments!