Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog

Grill with Emeril and CBF

This week on Planet Green's Emeril Green—blue crabs, Clagett Farm veggies and grass-fed beef and some very tasty recipes. Oh, yeah—and CBF's own Michael Heller, Rob and Carrie Vaughn, and Don Baugh. Check listings for times.

Dealing With Disaster

It's been quite a week for the Chesapeake Bay.

First, on Monday, Bay state and Washington, D.C. representatives and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tentatively agreed to recommend pushing back the current 2010 deadline, set in 2000, for cleaning up the Bay another ten years. CBF issued a statement congratulating governments for what they have achieved in recent years but expressing frustration that the deadline for true restoration has been pushed back on leaders who have not yet come to office or position.

On Tuesday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez issued a federal disaster declaration for the Bay's blue crab fishery. Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski asked for the declaration back in May. Funding is still pending but Sen. Mikulski is optimistic it will come through quickly.

As an editorial in the Free Lance-Star stated, both serve as reminders that, even in this see-sawing economy, "cleaning up the bay needs to remain a top priority--one that will pay future economic dividends in jobs, recreational pursuits, and the bay's delicious bounty."

An editorial in today's Daily Press about the crab crisis notes, "Real improvement in the outlook for crabs or any bay residents depends on fixing the underlying conditions that threaten them." That echoes arguments made back in April that while we need a quick fix for the sake of our watermen's economy, what we really need is long-term committment. Not rhetoric, real committment.

Yesterday, in a move that holds the federal government accountable for its responsibilities to the Clean Water Act and to the American public, CBF issued a federal blueprint for environmental action by the next Administration. Titled "Restoring Clean Water and the Chesapeake Bay: A Plan for America's Next President," it outlines 16 specific actions that the next president and Congress need to take if we are to be successful in reducing pollution, meeting the requirements of the Clean Water Act, and improving local economies.

What are your thoughts on the week's news?

On the Road With Chesapeake Local Bounty

A Very Clever Local Lunch Menu

Melon Salad
Maryland Farm Salad with Crab Louise Dressing
Untraditional Maryland Vegetable  Crab Soup
Sweet Zucchini Bread

We got plenty of crab for this Locally Grown Lunch as not only was it the base for the soup but also graced the salad dressing along with chopped hard boiled egg. It was very ingenious to add the crab to the Crab Louie dressing. You can make the soup at home and use a recipe loaded with seasonal vegetables like corn, baby potatoes and summer squash.

Maryland Vegetable Crab Soup
Makes 1 gallon

3 pounds fresh crab claws
2 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups diced celery
3 cups halved baby potatoes
4 cups combinations of corn and diced summer squash
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon marjoram
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 pound special or claw crab meat

In a large, heavy bottomed kettle, combine crab claws water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to make broth. Add  tomatoes, celery, potatoes, vegetables cook approximately 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes at a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Leftover soup should be kept in refrigerator not more than five days. Makes about 1 gallon.

Posted by Rita Calvert. Rita is a chef, educator, and writer and a founding member of Buy Fresh Buy Local Chesapeake Region. Visit her website On the Road With Chesapeake Local Bounty.

Visit With a Smith Island Crabber

Ever wonder what it's like to be a Chesapeake Bay crabber? Join WYPR's Joel McCord as he heads out on the water with Mark Kitching, a waterman from Smith Island.

It Will Take Efforts on Many Fronts to Save the Bay

by Ann Jennings, Virginia Executive Director, CBF
following is an excerpt from Jennings' recent OpEd article. Read the full article on dailypress.com.

The Chesapeake's treasured blue crabs, having declined by 70 percent over the past two decades, are poised dangerously below a level of abundance beyond which the population is seriously threatened. These are scary times for the blue crab.

The governors of Maryland and Virginia recently called for a one-third reduction in harvests of female crabs. Science indicates that reducing crab harvests will result in a greater abundance of blue crabs, and that the population will respond very quickly to such actions. Unfortunately, the men and women who make their living by bringing those delicious blue crabs to our dinner tables will see their incomes drop. It's a gross oversimplification, but consider what you would do if you were told by your boss that your annual income would drop by 34 percent effective immediately. These are scary times for the crabber.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation applauds the governors for taking this bold action and committing to partner, as perhaps never before, on the regulations necessary to reduce crab harvests. However, we are concerned about the impact of these regulations on watermen communities, particularly those on Tangier and Smith Islands, where crabbing has been part of the culture for centuries and whose watermen have limited options for alternative incomes.

CBF therefore has offered both states alternative approaches to harvest reductions that attempt to spread the burden equally among various sectors of the crab industry. Furthermore, we share the frustrations expressed by the Virginia Waterman's Association in numerous newspaper articles. While Virginia takes bold action to reduce crab harvests, the underlying problem facing crabs remains unsolved with no complete solutions even in sight. Ultimately, we must restore the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay if we are to sustain a robust crab population and robust crab fishery.  Read the full article on dailypress.com.

Maryland "Style" Crabcakes - Not the real thing

I recently toured a crab picking house on the eastern shore of VA where watermen drop off fresh catches of blue crabs. As I was waiting in the office several customers arrived with small coolers to collect crabmeat. It made me think of the crabcakes my mom and aunt used to make when I was kid. Fried or broiled, I loved them. Unfortunately, picking houses like these (and the crabcakes I ate as a kid) are declining in number, in part due to the import of crabmeat from outside the Chesapeake. Evidence of this can be seen at seafood restaurants around the region that have on their menu "Maryland Style" crabcakes. Be assured, the style has to do with how they are breaded and seasoned and not where the meat comes from. 

I am concerned that imported crabmeat, among other combining factors, is unfairly placing our local crab industry at risk. I am certain that we can "Save the Bay." However, I want to work towards saving our crabbing economy as well. It's an industry that produces signifcant revenue and jobs and should not be outsourced. So when I go to restaurants I ask the waiter, "What does it mean by Maryland-Style?" You'd be surprised how many servers have no idea where the meat comes from. I then try and order something locally caught, if available.

And the next time I go to the eastern shore I am taking a cooler and visiting that crabhouse. Then maybe I will invite my Mom over for dinner. Crabcakes will be on the menu.

Joe Lerch is a senior land planner in CBF's Virginia office.