Crabbers look to DNR for help with low harvest

BRUNSWICK - Commercial crabbers, who are facing another record low harvest this year, are calling on the state Department of Natural Resources to do more to improve water quality in coastal estuaries. <br> <br> ``None of the coastal swamps are intact,&#39;&#39; said Eulonia crabber Robert DeWitt. ``We should make DNR take the lead and speak out for restoring the swamps and natural water flow.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> DeWitt and about 40 other crabbers attended a meeting Monday to discuss how to revive the comatose crabbing industry. <br> <br> The crabbers said the draining of swamps for industrial and commercial development has exacerbated environmental conditions, already bad because of Georgia&#39;s five-year drought. <br> <br> ``It all comes back to water, salinity,&#39;&#39; said veteran crabber Billy Bowie of Brunswick. ``If you can teach it to rain, we might have a chance.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> DeWitt said if necessary, state and federal agencies should mandate paper mills, timber companies and commercial developments to fill in drainage and ditching systems that now eliminate or disrupt the flow of water into coastal estuaries and other blue crab habitat. <br> <br> DNR scientists are asking for advice from crabbers about how to save the industry. One of the questions is whether crabbers want the state to seek federal fisheries disaster relief funds to help compensate for losses from poor harvests. <br> <br> A 2000 die-off of lobsters in Long Island Sound resulted in $13.9 million in federal aid to fisherman in New York and Connecticut and for research into lobster deaths. <br> <br> Doug Haymans, department liaison to the crabbing industry, said to ask for federal aid, the state would need a declaration from the governor, a review and recommendation from the National Marine Fisheries Service, approval by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and congressional appropriation. <br> <br> He said the earliest funding could be available is next July. <br> <br> The department also wants crabbers&#39; opinions and recommendations about other possible state measures to help the industry, including the following proposals: <br> <br> Reduce the number of commercial crabbing licenses. <br> <br> Impose seasonal closures instead of having year-round crabbing. <br> <br> Impose harvest limits. <br> <br> Restrict the type of fishing gear used to harvest crabs. <br> <br> There are 159 licensed commercial crabbers statewide most based in McIntosh, Glynn and Chatham counties. Licenses are awarded by an annual lottery, and only one is held by an out-of-state resident.

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