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86-566: Kent Island is part of Queen Anne's County, Maryland , and Maryland's Eastern Shore region . The first English establishment on the island, Kent Fort , was founded in 1631, making Kent Island the oldest English settlement within the present day state of Maryland and the third oldest permanent English settlement in what became the United States —after Jamestown, Virginia (1607), and Plymouth, Massachusetts (1620). The census-designated places of Stevensville and Chester are located on

172-537: A family was $ 89,188. Males had a median income of $ 57,218 versus $ 43,371 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 35,964. About 3.8% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county: 39°02′N 76°05′W  /  39.03°N 76.08°W  / 39.03; -76.08 Maryland Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus (from

258-454: 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

344-562: A government, school, and a postal system. It was developed for agriculture, and enslaved African Americans worked the fields of plantations. Tobacco was an early commodity crop but it exhausted the soil. By the Revolution, some planters were converting to mixed agriculture, which was less labor-intensive. They sold excess slaves in the domestic trade to the developing cotton plantations of the Deep South. In 1876, Queen Anne's County had

430-464: 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

516-411: 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

602-526: 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

688-442: 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

774-493: A planned trail system for Queen Anne's County; the entire Cross Island Trail and the existing section of the Kent Island South Trail represent the only completed portions of the system. The bridges that currently connect Kent Island to the mainland, or once did, are as follows: Access to Annapolis is available via MTA Commuter Bus Service Route 210. Weekday service to the mainland begins at 5:30 am and

860-403: 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

946-548: A transportation service operated under the Department of Aging, is available as well. It provides specialized transportation services for elderly people and people with disabilities while still serving the general public. It travels to Grasonville, Easton, Centerville, Annapolis, and other towns. It also provides door to door rides with a minimum of two days notice. The original section of the Cross Island Trail ,

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1032-562: A walking and biking trail on Kent Island, was built in the late 1990s, as part of Queen Anne's County's portion of the American Discovery Trail . The full trail was completed in 2001. By the time the Cross Island Trail was completed, growing concern over the safety of pedestrians using the shoulder of Route 8 prompted the construction of a new trail paralleling the road. When completed, the trail, known as

1118-598: Is Centreville . The census-designated place of Stevensville is the county's most populous place with a population of 7,442 as of 2020. The county is named for Queen Anne of Great Britain , who reigned when the county was established in 1706 during the colonial period. The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state. Queen Anne's County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area , which

1204-571: Is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area , and is the easternmost in both. Chesapeake Bay Bridge connects Kent Island in Queen Anne's County across Chesapeake Bay to Anne Arundel County . The American Discovery Trail runs through the county. Queen Anne's County has 265 miles of waterfront, much of that being the shores of Kent Island, which stands out from

1290-710: 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

1376-695: 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

1462-614: 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

1548-523: 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

1634-576: 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

1720-653: 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

1806-413: 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

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1892-611: 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 ,

1978-684: The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and was home to 16,812 residents at the time of the 2000 U.S. Census . The combined area of the Stevensville and Chester CDPs had 9,603 residents. Many have relocated from the Washington, D.C. , or Baltimore metro areas and continue to commute back there. Stevensville and Chester are also among the most densely populated areas of the Eastern Shore, and

2064-406: The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area . The bridge completely replaced the steamboat system and also led to further growth of Kent Island and the rest of the Eastern Shore. In 1973, to accommodate growing traffic across the bay, the bridge was expanded with an additional span built next to the existing one. Then, in the late 1980s and early 1990s U.S. Route 50 was converted to a freeway across

2150-581: 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

2236-597: The Kent Island South Trail , will run from Romancoke Pier at the southern end of Route 8, heading north and crossing the road in Matapeake , near Matapeake Elementary and Middle schools. From there it will pass through Mobray Park, then over US 50, through Stevensville to end at the Cross Island Trail in or near Old Love Point Park. Both the Cross Island and Kent Island South Trails are part of

2322-434: 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

2408-727: The 19th century and earlier include the Cray House , a rare remaining example of post and plank construction, the old Stevensville post office (left, yellow building in center), Christ Episcopal Church , and the Stevensville Train Depot (right). Stevensville's historic district along with some of the buildings in the town are on the National Register of Historic Places . Listed are notable people who have lived on Kent Island. The main mode of transportation on Kent Island, as with most other suburban areas of

2494-421: The 2002 election, Queen Anne's County was run by three commissioners. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 511 square miles (1,320 km ), of which 372 square miles (960 km ) is land and 139 square miles (360 km ) (27%) is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 40,563 people, 15,315 households, and 11,547 families living in the county. The population density

2580-729: The 20th century, Queen Anne's County was the home of Jimmie Foxx , who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. A statue and small park commemorate him in Sudlersville, where Foxx grew up. Queen Anne's was historically the most strongly secessionist county in Maryland, dominated by the Democratic Party of the planters. Following the American Civil War, the predominately conservative white voters voted for

2666-415: 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

Kent Island (Maryland) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2752-462: The Chesapeake Bay, including Captain John Smith (who had named the area "Winston's Island"), were the first Europeans to see Kent Island; however, it wasn't until August 1631 that the island became an English settlement. At that time, William Claiborne , a resident of Jamestown, founded a settlement near the southern end of the island for the purpose of trading with Native Americans and named

2838-471: The Democratic presidential nominee in every election from 1868 to 1948, though Herbert Hoover came within a point of defeating Al Smith in 1928 amidst great Southern resentment to Smith's Catholicism and opposition to Prohibition. Former general Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first Republican to carry the county in 1952. Since the late 20th century, Queen Anne's white voters have largely shifted to

2924-543: The Republican Party, in a realignment that has taken place among conservative whites across the South following the tumultuous 1960s and passage of national civil rights legislation. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Queen Anne's County since Texan Lyndon Johnson ’s 1964 landslide. Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1980 remains the last Democrat to obtain even forty percent of the county’s vote, and he in 1976

3010-777: The United States, is the automobile. Kent Island's main roads include the U.S. Route 50 / U.S. Route 301 freeway, which connects the island to Central Maryland via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and to the Delmarva Peninsula via the Kent Narrows Bridge . The island is also served by Maryland Routes 8 , 18 , and 552 . On week days, the Maryland Department of Transportation offers four commuter bus routes to take Kent Island commuters to Baltimore or Washington D.C. The County Ride,

3096-406: The age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.1% were non-families, and 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 42.6 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 81,096 and the median income for

3182-427: The age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.60% were non-families. 19.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.99. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under

3268-468: The age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 57,037, and the median income for a family was $ 63,713. Males had a median income of $ 44,644 versus $ 30,144 for females. The per capita income for

3354-467: 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

3440-490: 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

3526-508: The county was $ 26,364. About 4.40% of families and 6.30% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.20% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 47,798 people, 18,016 households, and 13,314 families living in the county. The population density was 128.5 inhabitants per square mile (49.6/km ). There were 20,140 housing units at an average density of 54.2 per square mile (20.9/km ). The racial makeup of

Kent Island (Maryland) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3612-408: The county was 88.7% white, 6.9% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.9% were German , 22.4% were Irish , 15.8% were English , 6.2% were Italian , and 6.1% were American . Of the 18,016 households, 34.4% had children under

3698-615: 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

3784-438: The eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. From the waters of this county, watermen have harvested oysters, crabs, and terrapin . Migrating waterfowl overwinter here, and hunting for geese and ducks has been an important part of the county's history. The first Anglo-European settlement in Maryland was on Kent Island on August 21, 1631, and included twenty-five settlers in a manor house, a fort, and other buildings. The settlement

3870-464: 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

3956-632: The first printed independent paper called the Maryland Citizen . A bank was located in Centreville; the Centreville National Bank is still operating. A railway was constructed here in 1868; it operated from Baltimore, passing around the top of the Chesapeake Bay down to Queenstown, and connected with other railroads that continued east into Delaware as far as Rehoboth, and southward to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. In

4042-412: 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

4128-491: The first year following election. County code allows for rotation of the president position thereafter. The current Board of Commissioners was elected in the 2018 election, and serves a four-year term. The current County Commissioners are Stephen Wilson (District 2), Christopher M. Corchiarino (District 4), Philip L. Dumenil (District 3), James J. Moran (at-large), and Jack N. Wilson, Jr. (District 1). The current form of five commissioners elected at large started in 2002. Prior to

4214-502: 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

4300-399: 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

4386-530: 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

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4472-444: The island after his birthplace of Kent , England . The settlement burned down in the winter of 1631–32 but was quickly rebuilt, and in 1634 the settlement included a gristmill, courthouse, and trading station. Following the formation of the province of Maryland , Claiborne continued to recognize the island as part of his home colony of Virginia , while Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore recognized it as part of Maryland. Claiborne

4558-486: The island's inhabitants worked as watermen in the expanding seafood industry capitalizing on the Chesapeake's supply of Maryland Blue Crab , rockfish, and oysters. As roads replaced railroads and steamboats into the twentieth century, there was a growing need for a road bridge connecting the two shores of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1952 the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was completed, connecting the island directly to

4644-406: The island, along with several other communities, including the fishing community of Kent Narrows , which is located partially on the island. Although all of Kent Island's communities are unincorporated , the census designated places of Stevensville and Chester on the island are both more populous than any of Queen Anne's County's incorporated towns. Before European colonization , Kent Island

4730-475: The island. In September 2003, Kent Island was one of the many places in the Chesapeake Bay Area affected by Hurricane Isabel . Local businesses and historic local landmarks were either damaged or destroyed in the storm and the storm surge caused by it. Much of the damage from the hurricane, mostly caused by flooding, took several months to repair. Today, Kent Island is considered a suburb of

4816-576: 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

4902-429: The last bus to leave Washington departs at 6:48 pm. Also, access to Washington, D.C., is available via MTA Commuter Bus Service Route 240 and 250. Weekday service to the mainland begins at 5:00 am for Route 240 and 4:45 am for Route 250 and the last bus to leave Washington departs at 7:28 pm for Route 240 and 7:08 pm for Route 250. Local airports on the island serve as another type of connection to

4988-496: 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

5074-649: The mainland. The largest is the Bay Bridge Airport , located near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Before the construction of the Bay Bridge, ferry services connected the island directly to Baltimore , Annapolis, and the small peninsula on which St. Michaels , is located. Some of the piers that were used as part of the ferry service are still used for fishing. Into the 1930s the Baltimore and Eastern Railroad operated passenger service from Love Point on

5160-412: 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

5246-455: 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

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5332-486: The most densely populated in Queen Anne's County, making up 23.67 percent of its population and only 3.07 percent of its land area. As of 2006, many of the island's historic places have been preserved and are highlighted by the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway and the American Discovery Trail , both of which pass through the island. Several buildings on the island that are still leftover from

5418-486: 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

5504-425: 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

5590-450: The northern extreme of the island east to Queenstown , Easton, Hurlock, as well as Salisbury's Union Station , Ocean City, Maryland , Berlin, and Delmar, Delaware . However, passenger service was terminated by 1938. Queen Anne%27s County, Maryland Queen Anne's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland . As of the 2020 census , the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality

5676-447: 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

5762-454: 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

5848-585: 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

5934-532: 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

6020-426: The sheriff was also appointed as the postmaster and would travel to Annapolis, Maryland by boat across the Chesapeake Bay to obtain mail. In 1773 a part of Queen Anne's County, together with a portion of Dorchester County, was taken to form Caroline County . The county now is enclosed by Talbot, Caroline, and Kent counties, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. By the time of Independence , the county had several churches,

6106-484: The soil recovered, except for the port town of Broad Creek . This began to change around the time of the Industrial Revolution . In 1850, the town of Stevensville , was founded after the sale of farms owned by James and Charles Stevens and prospered as a major hub for steamboat travel across the Chesapeake Bay. Stevensville was also the home of a railroad station known as the Stevensville Train Depot that

6192-400: 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

6278-414: 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

6364-498: 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

6450-614: 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

6536-443: 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

6622-453: 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

6708-591: Was 109 people per square mile (42 people/km ). There were 16,674 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile (17/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 89.05% White , 8.78% Black or African American , 0.22% Native American , 0.57% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.43% from other races , and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.9% were of German , 15.1% American , 14.6% English , 14.2% Irish and 5.3% Italian ancestry. There were 15,315 households, out of which 33.30% had children under

6794-480: Was forced from and returned to the island twice before leaving permanently in 1658, thus effectively ending the disputes. Virginia's official claims to the island, however, continued until 1776. Until the early 19th century, Kent Island was used almost entirely for farming of tobacco and corn, however that ended due to the depletion of nutrient-rich soil as a result of the lack of crop rotation and poor farming practices . The island's economy went into decline while

6880-535: Was inhabited by Native Americans for nearly 12,000 years. The island was inhabited by the Matapeake people , members of the Algonquian nation whom the Matapeake area of Kent Island is named. Other tribes that inhabited the area and often visited the island included the Ozinie tribe. The Matapeake people referred to the island as Monoponson in their language. During the 16th and 17th centuries, early explorers of

6966-528: Was located near the western end of a railroad that carried ferry passengers to other parts of the Eastern Shore. Also during this time, small resorts on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean were established in the area. Such a resort existed at Love Point, to the north of Stevensville. Farming returned to the economy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with farmers growing crops including corn, wheat, berries, and melons. Many of

7052-854: 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

7138-454: 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

7224-490: Was referred to as Winston's Island. The first houses were built similar to log cabins. The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places , but nothing remains of this original settlement. Stevensville, earlier known as Broad Creek, is one of the oldest towns still existing. Queen Anne's County was organized under a sheriff in 1706, bounded by Talbot , Kent , and Dorchester counties. In 1713, Queen Anne's County became an English postal district;

7310-628: 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

7396-420: Was the last to come within ten points of winning the county. Queen Anne's County was granted home rule in 1990 under a state code. The county has a commission form of government. The commission consists of five commissioners: one at-large and four of whom must reside in the district they represent. All of the commissioners are elected by the general population. The at-large commissioner serves as president

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