House Bill 913, introduced by Delegate Eric G. Luedtke (D), aims to protect the integrity of Maryland's proud seafood industry and may help boost our local watermen's livelihood.In short, all seafood sold in Maryland would be required to be labeled with the species' name and where it was caught. It also bans the selling of any crab product labeled "blue crab" unless the product is made of Callinectes Sapidus, the species of blue crab native to the Bay, Atlantic, and Gulf States and the crab product must be labeled with the state the crab was harvested in.
For those who strive to support our local watermen, the law goes a long way in helping consumers in making "buy local" decisions. A diner ordering crab cakes at a restaurant in Ocean City, for example, won't have to wonder if the "Maryland crab cakes" are truly Maryland blue crab caught by Maryland watermen or not. The law mandates that the restaurant needs to post the origins of the crab meat used in the crab cakes as well as what kind of crab was used.
Shop Local Delmarva encourages everyone to support HB 913. The Eastern Shore was founded on a proud seafood industry, and industry almost wiped out in one generation by greed and over-regulation. HB 913 is a small, but important, step in restoring that proud heritage and placing Chesapeake Bay seafood back at the top of the seafood delicacy list.
For more information or to contact your representatives to show your support, please follow the links below.
HB 913 (full text in .pdf format)
Contact your representative (easy reference list by county)
The Seafood Industry's Dark Side (A historical perspective of the collapse of Maryland's seafood industry)
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