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Blue Crabs. Plentiful from late spring through fall, blue crabs turn red when steamed. When mature, they measure five to seven inches across. Soft shell crabs are blue crabs that have outgrown and therefore shed their hard outer shell and whose new shells have not yet hardened. Soft shell crabs generally are available from May through September.
The Maryland Blue Crab is the State Crustacean.
COMMERCIAL LANDINGS | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| Crabs* | 41,306,361 lbs. | 26,218,865 lbs. | 32,124,202 lbs. | 21,661,198 lbs. |
| Finfish | 14,970,099 lbs. | 15,671,683 lbs. | 15,790,185 lbs. | 12,550,847 lbs. |
| Oysters | 1,507,850 lbs. | 2,452,291 lbs. | 2,464,032 lbs. | 2,365,160 lbs. |
| Soft Clams | 252,231 lbs. | 227,936 lbs. | 147,930 lbs. | 169,280 lbs. |
| Total | 58,036,541 lbs. | 44,570,775 lbs. | 50,526,349 lbs. | 36,746,485 lbs. |
DOCKSIDE VALUE | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| Crabs* | $37,860,607 | $30,628,487 | $34,519,954 | $30,088,219 |
| Finfish | $7,964,519 | $8,558,511 | $9,154,378 | $7,457,195 |
| Oysters | $4,709,785 | $7,599,078 | $6,952,100 | $7,154,260 |
| Soft Clams | $1,680,477 | $1,532,017 | $1,010,636 | $1,378,284 |
| Total | $52,215,388 | $48,318,093 | $51,637,068 | $46,077,958 |
*Includes soft shell crabs
Source: Fisheries Service, Department of Natural Resources.
© Copyright November 06, 2002 Maryland State Archives