Survey Says Crab Population Spikes

It's looking to be a crabby summer.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) on Thursday announced crab population levels are at 764 million, the highest level since 1993 and a nearly 66 percent improvement over last year.

"The crab's iconic. The crab represents, for so many people, some of the best moments they share with family in this region of our country," O'Malley said at an event covered by Capital News Service. 

CNS said harvest restrictions were put in place in 2008.

An Associated Press report said the survey contains a mystery. "The number of spawning age females dropped from 190 million to 97 million, but the preliminary harvest numbers show they were not overharvested," the AP said. The adult female population could have fell, or the crabs could have move outside the survey areas because of an extremely wet fall and warm winter.