VMRC lowers rockfish size limits slightly, increases blue crab limits

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted Tuesday to lower the size limit for Striped Bass and provide a modest increase in the limits for blue crabs during the summer season.

Effective immediately the size limit for striped bass will be reduced from 36 inches to 31 inches. The change is intended to protect fish born in 2015 against increased pressure by recreational fishing.  The 2015 season was a good one for stripers but it takes anywhere from 4 to 8 years for the fish to begin spawning.

The Commission also voted to increase Chesapeake blue crab catch limits slightly for some license types which are are issued according to the size of the catch operation. The limit has increased by one bushel per day for medium sized operations and 36 bushels per day, up from 27 for the largest operations, which can use up to 425 crab pots.  The limits for the smallest operations did not increase.

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