The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population has rebounded to 554 million, a 35% increase from last year, and the best year since 2012, reports the Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. The blue crab population is a key metric of the health of the bay ecosystem. The number of female spawners numbers an estimated 194 million, shy of the 215 million considered desirable.

The crab population fluctuates widely, depending upon weather conditions, predator populations and other factors, so it would be premature to draw lasting conclusions from the data. Still, it’s a positive sign.

— JAB