ANNAPOLIS (April 24, 2009) - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding an open house at the Solomons Volunteer Fire Hall on Monday, April 27, from 1:00pm to 8:00pm to address the issue of unused blue crab licenses.
In December 2008, DNR proposed regulations for the blue crab fishery that included a proposal to freeze all Limited Crab Harvester (LCC) commercial licenses that had not reported any crab harvest from 2004 to 2008. During the public discussion of this proposal, it became clear that a more extensive citizen participation process was needed. The Department withdrew the LCC license component from this year’s regulatory package.
“The Department remains committed to addressing the issue of unused crab licenses,” said Tom O’Connell, Director of DNR Fisheries Services. “We are holding this series of open houses to provide information that outlines the problems associated with unused crab licenses, provide responses to the concerns that have been raised by the public comment period and ask the public to provide constructive suggestions for short and long term solutions.”
The Open Houses are designed as educational exhibits that the public can attend at any time during the opening hours and stay as long as they wish. DNR Staff will be onhand to discuss the potential problems associated with unused crab licenses and listen to constructive input about possible solutions. For more information, call the Blue Crab Hotline at 410-260-8286.
April 27, 2009 - 1:00pm to 8:00pm
Solomons Volunteer Fire Hall
13150 H.G. Trueman Rd.
Solomons, MD 20688