You can’t have Maryland without the Blue Crab! They go together like peanut butter and jelly, milk and cereal, JHU and lacrosse… You get the picture.
Did you know that the Blue Crab is the official crustacean of the State of Maryland?
Did you know that the Maryland Blue Crab’s Latin name (Callinectes sapidus) translates to “beautiful swimmer that is savory?”
Did you know that the blue crab launched many of the environmental protections in place today to save the Chesapeake Bay? Check out one of the first hearings on the blue crab shortages in the 1968. Here is the most current assessment of the population.
If you would like something a little more tangible, check out this book in the Eisenhower Library: Chesapeake Bay Blues: Science, Politics, and the Struggle to Save the Bay.
Check out some of the other cool resources the library has to offer by searching our databases and Catalyst. You may find something that inspires the topic for your next assignment, whether it’s crab related or not! But seriously, what’s not to love about Maryland’s favorite crustacean?