Crab cakes, oysters, rockfish: Chesapeake Bay seafood is a big part of why people love the Bay. Here are the facts behind the food.

Quick answer: Chesapeake Bay seafood is led by blue crabs. Maryland landed about 19 million pounds of blue crabs in 2023, worth about $44 million, plus oysters and striped bass. The Bay provides about half of the U.S. blue crab harvest. Maryland’s True Blue program certifies places that sell Maryland crab.

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Maryland’s Catch

Species 2023 landings 2023 value
Blue crabs 19.0 million lb $44.1 million
Eastern oysters 1.9 million lb $23.7 million
Striped bass 1.7 million lb $6.0 million

Source: Maryland State Archives.[1] The seafood industry adds nearly $600 million a year to Maryland’s economy.[1]

Half the Nation’s Crabs

About half of the blue crab harvest in the U.S. comes from the Chesapeake Bay.[1]

The True Blue Label

True Blue is a Maryland state certification. It shows that a restaurant sells blue crab that was caught or processed in Maryland.[2]

Know Your Crab

Male crabs are jimmies. Mature females are sooks, with red-tipped claws.[3]

Frequently asked questions

What seafood is the Chesapeake Bay famous for? Blue crabs, oysters and striped bass (rockfish).

What is True Blue crab? A Maryland certification for places that sell blue crab caught or processed in Maryland.

How much of the U.S. blue crab catch comes from the Bay? About half.

References

Read more about blue crabs.