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69-619: In 2006, Southern Maryland residents chose the name "Blue Crabs" in a team-sponsored fan ballot. The name refers to the indigenous blue crab , the official state crustacean of Maryland . The Blue Crabs' fanbase has been nicknamed the "Crustacean Nation", an allusion to the Cardinal Nation and the Red Sox Nation fan clubs of the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox . Charles County initiated efforts to bring affiliated professional baseball, in

138-796: A Blue Crabs home jersey with red and white sneakers. The mascot debuted on April 19, 2008, at the Charles County Youth League's opening day parade held at Laurel Springs Park in La Plata . Pinch's name alludes to the pincer of a crab. He resides at Crabby Cove , an artificial pond designed for recreational use at Regency Furniture Stadium. Pitchers Utility players Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] Disabled list ‡ Inactive list § Suspended list Roster  updated June 16, 2024 Transactions Callinectes sapidus Callinectes sapidus (from

207-575: A ferry boat line across the Long Island Sound, between Bridgeport, Connecticut to Port Jefferson on Long Island in New York State), which was frequently utilized by both of the teams and their fans for traveling to each ballpark in the two adjacent states. Former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and MLB Hall of Fame member Gary Carter managed the Ducks in 2009. Following Carter's death in 2012,

276-450: A few decades. Survival and addition of juveniles to the harvestable crab population is also low. Many factors are to blame for low blue crab numbers, including high fishing pressure, environmental degradation , and disease prevalence. The 2018 reduction in H-2B visas available for seasonal workers is affecting Maryland's 20 crab processors, which typically employ about 500 foreign workers, but

345-459: A greater range of habitable areas on the Atlantic coast. Whether this will have negative effects on the surrounding ecosystems from an increased crab population is still unclear. C. sapidus is a decapod crab of the swimming crab family Portunidae. The genus Callinectes is distinguished from other portunid crabs by the lack of an internal cartilaginous spine on the carpus (the middle segment of

414-411: A greenish-blue coloration. When the crab is cooked, the alpha-crustacyanin breaks down, leaving only the astaxanthin, which turns the crab to a bright orange-red color. Organochlorides are found by Sheridan et al 1975 to be transferred to the C. sapidus hepatopancreas . They find that among organochlorides, DDT specifically is converted both to DDE and DDD in this crab. C. sapidus

483-929: A high-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies . Blue crabs are also the namesake of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs , a professional baseball team located in Waldorf, Maryland . Long Island Ducks The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor-league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip , New York . The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "partner league" of Major League Baseball . The Ducks played their first season in 2000, two years after

552-520: A long-term dynamic equilibrium, which was first noted after irregular landings data in the Chesapeake in 1950. This tendency may have made it difficult for managers to predict the severe decline of the Chesapeake’s blue crab populations. Once considered an overwhelmingly abundant annoyance, the declining blue crab population is now the subject of anxiety among fishermen and managers. Over the decade between

621-442: A mature female's is rounded. Other species of Callinectes may be easily confused with C. sapidus because of overlapping ranges and similar morphology. One species is the lesser blue crab ( C. similis ). It is found further offshore than the common blue crab, and has a smoother granulated carapace. Males of the lesser blue crab also have mottled white coloration on the swimming legs, and females have areas of violet coloration on

690-402: A scowl of determination. Centered above the crab is the "Blue Crabs" wordmark in white with the words "Southern Maryland" centered above in red with light blue and red ribbon-like lines underline the wordmark. The entire logo is outlined in tan. The Blue Crabs wear caps produced by OC Sports and uniforms by Alleson Athletic. The home caps are white with navy blue and light blue trim, charged with

759-403: A seasonal migration of up to several hundred miles. In the middle and upper parts of the bay, mating peaks in mid- to late summer, while in the lower bay, peaks in mating activity occur during spring and late summer through early fall. Changes in salinity and temperature may impact time of mating because both factors are important during the molting process. After mating, the female crab travels to

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828-596: A series of charity events that benefit such organizations as the Southern Maryland Food Bank, The Salvation Army, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, Soldier's Angels, Orioles Advocates, and the American Red Cross . Other events such as the Red Cross blood drive and Prostate Cancer Awareness Night are held at Regency Furniture Stadium to promote health and wellness. On the team's final game of the 2008 season,

897-609: A victory over the York Revolution of York, Pennsylvania. The official colors of the Long Island Ducks are black, green, orange, and white. The primary logo features the "Ducks" wordmark in orange with black outline. The wordmark begins with a stylized, cartoon duck head in the form of a capital cursive "D." Since 2015, OC Sports has been the official on-field headwear of the Atlantic League. The home caps are black with

966-710: Is an omnivore , eating both plants and animals. It typically consumes thin-shelled bivalves (such as clams , mussels , and oysters ), crustaceans , annelids , small fish , plants (such as eelgrass ), and nearly any other item it can find, including carrion , other C. sapidus individuals, and animal waste. In salt marshes, C. sapidus will eat marsh periwinkles, Littoraria irrorata during high tides. Although an aquatic predator, C. sapidus will remain in shallow pits in salt marshes at low tide and ambush intertidal prey such as fiddler crabs (e.g., Minuca pugnax ) and purple marsh crabs ( Sesarma reticulatum ) C. sapidus may be able to control populations of

1035-676: Is native to the western edge of the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Cod to Argentina and around the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It has recently been reported north of Cape Cod in the Gulf of Maine , potentially representing a range expansion due to climate change. It has been introduced (via ballast water ) to Japanese and European waters, and has been observed in the Baltic , North , Mediterranean , and Black Seas . The first record from European waters

1104-603: Is not well known. Commercial crabbing was first reported in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1880s. Early crab fishermen used long-handled dip nets and drop nets among other simple fishing gear types to trap crabs at night. Blue crab spoiled quickly, which limited distribution and hindered the growth of the fishery for several decades. The first commercial processing plant in Louisiana opened in Morgan City in 1924. Other plants opened soon after, although commercial processing of hard blue crabs

1173-516: Is now mostly limited to the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. In the Gulf of Mexico, trotline use drastically declined after invention of the crab pot in 1938. Crab pots are rigid, box-like traps made of hexagonal or square wire mesh. They possess between two and four funnels that extend into the trap, with the smaller end of the funnel inside of the trap. A central compartment made of smaller wire mesh holds bait. Crabs attracted by odorant plumes from

1242-558: Is that the male's apron is shaped like the Washington Monument , while the mature female's resembles the dome of the United States Capitol . Claw color differences are more subtle than apron shape. The immovable, fixed finger of the claws in males is blue with red tips, while females have orange coloration with purple tips. A female's abdomen changes as it matures: an immature female has a triangular-shaped abdomen, whereas

1311-642: Is the diamondback terrapin , Malaclemys terrapin . The blue crab and diamondback terrapin have overlapping ranges along the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States. Because the funnels in a crab pot are flexible, small terrapins may easily enter and become entrapped. Traps are checked every 24 hours or less, frequently resulting in drowning and death of terrapins. Crab pot bycatch may reduce local terrapin populations to less than half. To reduce terrapin entrapment, bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) may be installed on each of

1380-413: Is very important for reproductive success. After mating, a male must continue to guard the female until her shell has hardened. Inseminated females retain spermatophores for up to one year, which they use for multiple spawnings in high salinity water. During spawning, a female extrudes fertilized eggs onto her swimmerets and carries them in a large egg mass, or sponge, while they develop. Females migrate to

1449-594: The Ancient Greek κάλλος ,"beautiful" + nectes , "swimmer", and Latin sapidus , "savory"), the blue crab , Atlantic blue crab , or, regionally, the Maryland blue crab , is a species of crab native to the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico , and introduced internationally. C. sapidus is of considerable culinary and economic importance in the United States, particularly in Louisiana ,

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1518-592: The Boston Red Sox of the American League. In 2017, pitcher Éric Gagné attempted a professional baseball comeback with the Ducks; that same year, Nate Freiman , Henderson Alvarez , Quintin Berry , and Tim Melville played with the Ducks and later joined an MLB organization or foreign professional league. On June 17, 2023, the Ducks became the winningest team in Atlantic League history, clinching their 1,581st win in

1587-569: The Carolinas , the Chesapeake Bay , Delaware , and New Jersey . It is the Maryland state crustacean and the state's largest commercial fishery . Due to overfishing and environmental pressures some of the fisheries have seen declining yields, especially in the Chesapeake Bay fishery. Unlike the other fisheries affected by climate change , blue crab is expected to do well; warming causes better breeding conditions, more survivable winters, and

1656-459: The Somerset Patriots . They again finished runner-up in the 2015 Atlantic League Championship Series versus Somerset. On July 13, 2019, Blue Crabs outfielder Tony Thomas became the first player in professional baseball history to steal first base. Atlantic League/MLB rule changes introduced in 2019 allow batters to steal first base on any pitch not caught in flight. On October 19, 2023, with

1725-535: The "Blue Crabs" wordmark centered across the chest in white. The Blue Crabs' batting practice cap is navy blue with the crab cap logo. The Blue Crabs tied for first place in the Liberty Division for the second half of 2009. They also won a first-round playoff series against the Long Island Ducks , 3–2, on September 29, 2009. However, they lost the championship to the Somerset Patriots . The Blue Crabs hold

1794-416: The "Long Island" cursive wordmark centered across in green with white and orange outline. The numbering is in green with white outline and orange drop shadow. The alternate is an orange jersey with the "Ducks" word mark centered across the chest. All games are broadcast over the Ducks' official YouTube channel, website, and (beginning 2017) Facebook Live . For 2017, WRHU /88.7 served as the radio home of

1863-434: The 1600s, the blue crab was an important food item for Native Americans and English settlers in the Chesapeake Bay area. Soft and hard blue crabs were not as valuable as fish, but gained regional popularity by the 1700s. Throughout their range, crabs were also an effective bait type for hook-and-line fisheries. Rapid perishing limited the distribution and hindered the growth of the fishery. Advances in refrigeration techniques in

1932-583: The 2007 season, but the construction bids for Regency Furniture Stadium came in over budget. Instead, the Blue Crabs' inaugural season was pushed back to 2008. The team name was chosen in a name-the-team contest in Southern Maryland with six finalists to choose from: Blue Crabs, Blue Herons, Aviators, Rock Fish, Ospreys, and Eagles. Fans were able to vote online, through the mail, or at participating Southern Maryland-area Arby's Restaurants. Initially, there

2001-578: The ALPB inaugural season. Since their inception the Ducks' home ballpark has been Fairfield Properties Ballpark , formerly known as Bethpage Ballpark (2010-2020), Suffolk County Sports Park (1999 and 2010), EAB Park (2000–2001), and Citibank Park (2002–2009). The "Ducks" name refers to Long Island's duck-farming heritage (itself represented by the Big Duck ferrocement ) and recalls the former Long Island Ducks professional ice hockey team. The team's first manager

2070-415: The Atlantic coast of the United States, and in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the fishery has been historically centered on the Chesapeake Bay , contributions from other localities are increasing in importance. In the past two decades, most commercial crabs have been landed in four states: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Louisiana. Weight and value of harvests since 2000 are listed below. As early as

2139-544: The Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977. Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. In November 2016, the team was sold to a new ownership group, Crabs On Deck, LLC, headed by Frank Boulton , the founder and CEO of the Atlantic League and owner of the Long Island Ducks and Bridgeport Bluefish . The Blue Crabs were the runner-up in the 2009 Atlantic League Championship Series versus

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs - Misplaced Pages Continue

2208-529: The Blue Crabs raised $ 8,139 for the College of Southern Maryland as part of the institution's 50th anniversary. Prior to the 2009 season, the team partnered with the Charles County Hospice House to allow the non-profit charity to take advantage of theme nights for fundraising opportunities. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs' official mascot is an anthropomorphic , blue creature named Pinch. He wears

2277-404: The Ducks (replacing previous broadcaster WRCN-FM 103.9). Michael Polak, Chris King, David Weiss, and Mike Mohr currently serve as the team's official broadcasters. The Long Island Ducks' official mascot is an anthropomorphic duck named QuackerJack. He wears the Ducks' full home white uniform with green and white sneakers. He debuted on March 18, 2000, at then-EAB Park. His name alludes to

2346-405: The Ducks dedicated the season to his memory and wore a commemorative patch on their uniforms. Former Major League Baseball players to have played on the Ducks include Dontrelle Willis , Ramon Castro , Ben Broussard , Leo Rosales , Josh Barfield , Bill Hall , Bryant Nelson , Ian Snell , and Lew Ford . Rich Hill played with the Ducks in 2015, prior to his return to the majors in 2016 with

2415-467: The announcement of the 2024 season schedule it was announced that the Blue Crabs would now be members of the South Division with the expansion Hagerstown Flying Boxcars joining the North Division. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs official colors are navy blue, light blue, red, tan, and white. The primary logo depicts a navy blue crab outlined and detailed in tan. The crab has red pincers and eyes, with

2484-467: The bait, often an oily fish, enter the trap through the funnels and cannot escape. Species other than blue crab are often caught incidentally in crab pots, including fish, turtles, conch, and other crab species. In Georgia, hermit crabs ( Pagurus spp.), channeled whelk ( Busycon canaliculatum ), spider crabs ( Libinia spp.), and stone crabs ( Menippe mercenaria ) were the most common species observed as bycatch in commercial crab pots. Of important concern

2553-424: The cap logo featuring a "B" interlocking with a C-shaped crab pincer. The away caps are navy blue throughout, also charged with the interlocking "BC" cap logo. The home jerseys are white with the "Crabs" wordmark centered across the chest in navy blue with light blue outline. The away jersey is gray with the "Southern Maryland" wordmark in light blue and navy blue outline. The team wears navy blue alternate jerseys with

2622-485: The claw), as well as by the T-shape of the male abdomen. Blue crabs may grow to a carapace width of 23 cm (9 in). C. sapidus individuals exhibit sexual dimorphism . Males and females are easily distinguished by the shape of the abdomen (known as the "apron") and by color differences in the chelipeds, or claws. The abdomen is long and slender in males, but wide and rounded in mature females. A popular mnemonic

2691-604: The crab. A trematode that parasitizes C. sapidus is itself targeted by the hyperparasite Urosporidium crescens . The most harmful parasites may be the microsporidian Ameson michaelis , the amoeba Paramoeba perniciosa and the dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi , which causes "bitter crab disease". In 2021, scientists from the University of Maryland completed DNA sequencing on C. sapidus's genome in Baltimore after six years of research to help better understand

2760-437: The duck head logo centered on the front. The away caps are black with an orange brim and the duck head logo. Batting helmets are black with the webbed-foot logo. The Ducks wear uniforms produced by Rawlings . The home jersey is white with black pinstripes with the "Ducks" wordmark centered across the front. The numbering on the jersey is primarily in green with white outline and black drop shadow. The away jerseys are grey with

2829-464: The effect this will have on the crab fishery is not yet clear. Many types of gear have been used to catch blue crabs along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Initially, people used very simple techniques and gear, which included hand lines, dip nets, and push nets among a variety of other gear types. The trotline, a long baited twine set in waters 5–15 feet deep, was the first major gear type used commercially to target hard crabs. Use of commercial trotlines

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs - Misplaced Pages Continue

2898-412: The first to regulate the fishery, particularly the Chesapeake states. For example, after observing a slight decline in harvest, the fishing commissions of Virginia and Maryland put size limits into place by 1912 and 1917, respectively. Catch-per-unit-effort at the time was determined by packing houses, or crab processing plants. The early history of the recreational blue crab fishery in the Gulf of Mexico

2967-526: The form of a relocated Class A Kinston Indians team, to the Southern Maryland region in 1985, but those plans fell through. The progress made on the ballpark was reversed after Charles County commissioners voted against its financial support, instead deciding to funnel money to infrastructure projects. There were also concerns about marketability of the baseball team in a then-largely rural area. However, Southern Maryland's population boomed soon after as

3036-491: The funnels in a crab pot. BRDs effectively reduce bycatch (and subsequently mortality) of small terrapins without affecting blue crab catch. Because of its commercial and environmental value, C. sapidus is the subject of management plans over much of its range. In 2012, the C. sapidus population in Louisiana was recognized as a certified sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council . It

3105-399: The internal surfaces of the claws. C. sapidus can be distinguished from another related species found within its range, C. ornatus , by number of frontal teeth on the carapace. C. sapidus has four, while C. ornatus has six. The crab's blue hue stems from a number of pigments in the shell, including alpha- crustacyanin , which interacts with a red pigment, astaxanthin , to form

3174-530: The invasive green crab, Carcinus maenas ; numbers of the two species are negatively correlated , and C. maenas is not found in the Chesapeake Bay , where C. sapidus is most abundant. C. sapidus is subject to a number of diseases and parasites . These include a number of viruses , bacteria , microsporidians , ciliates , and others. The nemertean worm Carcinonemertes carcinophila commonly parasitizes C. sapidus , especially females and older crabs, although it has little adverse effect on

3243-627: The largest blue crab harvest for more than a century. Maryland and Virginia are usually the top two Atlantic coast states in annual landings, followed by North Carolina. In 2013, crab landings were valued at $ 18.7 million from Maryland waters and $ 16.1 million from Virginia waters. Although crab populations are currently declining, blue crab fishing in Maryland and Virginia remains a livelihood for thousands of coastal residents. As of 2001, Maryland and Virginia collectively had 4,816 commercial crab license holders. Three separate licenses are required for each of

3312-489: The late 1800s and early 1900s increased demand for blue crab nationwide. The early blue crab fishery along the Atlantic Coast was casual and productive because blue crabs were extremely abundant. In the lower Chesapeake Bay, crabs were even considered a nuisance species because they frequently clogged the nets of seine fishermen. Early on, the blue crab fishery of the Atlantic states was well documented. Atlantic states were

3381-412: The majority of their lives. Chemical cues in estuarine water prompt metamorphosis to the juvenile phase, after which blue crabs appear similar to the adult form. A blue crab grows by shedding its exoskeleton , or molting, to expose a new, larger exoskeleton. After it hardens, the new shell fills with body tissue. Shell hardening occurs most quickly in low-salinity water where high osmotic pressure allows

3450-455: The mid-1990s to 2004, the population fell from 900 million to around 300 million, and harvest weight fell from 52,000 to 28,000 tonnes (57,000 to 31,000 short tons). Revenue fell further, from $ 72 million to $ 61 million. Long-term estimates say that the overall Chesapeake population decreased around 70% in the last few decades. Even more alarming, the number of females capable of reproducing, known as spawning age females, has plummeted 84% in just

3519-480: The mouth of the estuary to release the larvae, the timing of which is believed to be influenced by light, tide, and lunar cycles. Blue crabs have high fecundity; females may produce up to 2 million eggs per brood. Migration and reproduction patterns differ between crab populations along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. A distinct and large-scale migration occurs in Chesapeake Bay, where C. sapidus undergoes

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3588-425: The nation's blue crab. That number rose to 26% by 2009 and 28% by 2012. The vast majority of Louisiana crabs are shipped to Maryland, where they are sold as "Chesapeake" or "Maryland" crab. Louisiana's harvest remained high in 2013, with 17,597 metric tons of blue crab valued at $ 51 million. In addition to commercial harvesting, recreational crabbing is very popular along Louisiana's coast. The Chesapeake Bay has had

3657-447: The ocean by ebb tides. During seven planktonic (zoeal) stages, blue crab larvae float near the surface and feed on microorganisms they encounter. After the eighth zoeal stage, larvae molt into megalopae. This larval form has small claws called chelipeds for grasping prey items. Megalopae selectively migrate upward in the water column as tides travel landward toward estuaries. Eventually, blue crabs arrive in brackish water, where they spend

3726-454: The parasitic rhizocephalan barnacle Loxothylacus texanus appear extremely stunted in growth when compared to uninfected mature females. Blue crabs may reach maturity within one year of hatching in the Gulf of Mexico, while Chesapeake Bay crabs may take up to 18 months to mature. As a result of different growth rates, commercial and recreational crabbing occur year-round in the Gulf of Mexico, while crabbing seasons are closed for colder parts of

3795-585: The period of time between molts, as well as the change in size during molts (molt increment). Salinity and disease also have subtle impacts on molting and growth rate. Molting occurs more rapidly in low-salinity environments. The high osmotic pressure gradient causes water to quickly diffuse into a soft, recently molted blue crab's shell, allowing it to harden more quickly. The effects of diseases and parasites on growth and molting are less well understood, but in many cases have been observed to reduce growth between molts. For example, mature female blue crabs infected with

3864-548: The publication Baseball America , saying, "The Long Island Ducks are the best thing I've ever done in baseball." A league rivalry developed between the Ducks and the Bridgeport Bluefish , of Bridgeport, Connecticut with the two teams contesting the "Ferry Cup" from 2009 until the latter team's termination in 2017. The Ferry Cup name referred to its sponsor, the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company , (which ran

3933-532: The shell to become rigid soon after molting. Molting reflects only incremental growth, making age estimation difficult. For blue crabs, the number of molts in a lifetime is fixed at about 25. Females typically exhibit 18 molts after the larval stages, while postlarval males molt about 20 times. Male blue crabs tend to grow broader and have more accentuated lateral spines than females. Growth and molting are profoundly influenced by temperature and food availability. Higher temperatures and greater food resources decrease

4002-400: The southern portion of the Chesapeake, using ebb tides to migrate from areas of low salinity to areas of high salinity, fertilizing her eggs with sperm stored during her single mating months or almost a year before. Spawning events in the Gulf of Mexico are less pronounced than in estuaries along the East Coast, like the Chesapeake. In northern waters of the Gulf of Mexico, spawning occurs in

4071-414: The species. This genetic map is expected to help scientists understand how the blue crabs will be affected by climate change and warmer water temperatures, along with which mutations cause disease, traits that influence meat production, and which females have the best reproductive ability. Eggs of C. sapidus hatch in high-salinity waters of inlets, coastal waters, and mouths of rivers, and are carried to

4140-498: The spring, summer, and fall, and females generally spawn twice. During spawning, females migrate to high -salinity waters to develop a sponge, and return inland after hatching their larvae. They develop their second sponge inland, and again migrate to the high-salinity waters to hatch the second sponge. After this, they typically do not re-enter the estuary. Blue crabs along the southernmost coast of Texas may spawn year-round. Commercial fisheries for C. sapidus exist along much of

4209-575: The suburban expansion of Washington, D.C. encompassed the region. In 2004, the town of Hughesville was targeted by Opening Day Partners to be the home of its Southern Maryland franchise, but the town's residents voted against the measure to retain the area's rural nature. After Hughesville residents denied the ballpark, all focus was shifted to Waldorf, a bedroom community of Washington, D.C. The Atlantic League formally announced an expansion team for Southern Maryland on February 15, 2006. The Blue Crabs were originally supposed to be an expansion team for

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4278-607: The three major jurisdictional areas: Maryland, the Potomac River, and Virginia waters. While the Bay’s commercial sector lands the majority of hard crab landings and nearly all peeler or soft crab landings, the recreational fishery is also significant. In 2013, an estimated 1.8 million kilograms (3.9 million pounds) of blue crab were harvested recreationally. Blue crab populations naturally fluctuate with annual changes in environmental conditions. They have been described as having

4347-443: The time of the female's terminal molt. It generally occurs during the warmest months of the year. Prepubertal females migrate to the upper reaches of estuaries, where males typically reside as adults. To ensure that a male can mate, he actively seeks a receptive female and guards her for up to seven days until she molts, when insemination occurs. Crabs compete with other individuals before, during, and after insemination, so mate guarding

4416-453: The year in northern states. Mating and spawning are distinct events in blue crab reproduction. Males may mate several times and undergo no major changes in morphology during the process. Female blue crabs mate only once in their lifetimes during their pubertal, or terminal, molt. During this transition, the abdomen changes from a triangular to a semicircular shape. Mating in blue crab is a complex process that requires precise timing of mating at

4485-475: Was Bud Harrelson , a part-owner of the team and a former major league player. The Ducks, the only professional Minor League baseball team located on suburban Long Island , in New York State. east of New York City. They began play in 2000, and from 2000 to 2019 won four Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB ) championships. Team owner Frank Boulton expressed his contentment with the Ducks in 2007 to

4554-841: Was made in 1901 at Rochefort , France . In some parts of its introduced range, C. sapidus has become the subject of crab fishery , including in Greece , where the local population may be decreasing as a result of overfishing . In Italy , public awareness of the detrimental impact of this species on local molluscs is rapidly growing and, especially in the Po delta area and on the Adriatic Sea coast, eradication efforts are undergoing, both by local authorities and by local fishermen. The natural predators of C. sapidus include eels , drum , striped bass , spot , trout , some sharks , humans , cownose rays , and whiptail stingrays . C. sapidus

4623-454: Was not widespread until World War II. Louisiana now has the world's largest blue-crab fishery. Commercial harvests in the state account for over half of all landings in the Gulf of Mexico. The industry was not commercialized for interstate commerce until the 1990s, when supply markedly decreased in Maryland due to problems (see above) in Chesapeake Bay. Since then, Louisiana has steadily increased its harvest. In 2002, Louisiana harvested 22% of

4692-410: Was some concern about how the Blue Crabs would impact the attendance of the nearby Double-A Bowie Baysox , a Baltimore Orioles affiliate that plays approximately 32 miles (51 km) away. The Baysox anticipated a small attendance drop initially, but did not worry about the issue in the long term. The Blue Crabs were owned by Opening Day Partners and Brooks Robinson , a former third baseman with

4761-604: Was the first and remains the only certified sustainable blue crab fishery worldwide. For the state to maintain its certification, it must undergo annual monitoring and conduct a full re-evaluation five years after the certification date. The blue crab is the namesake of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws team in minor-league baseball playing in the South Atlantic League . They are located in Lakewood , New Jersey, and are

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