Va. gets $7.5M in blue crab disaster aid

RICHMOND, VA – (AP) Virginia is getting $7.5 million in federal funds to boost the Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population and help watermen.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Tuesday that the National Marine Fisheries Services approved the disaster funds to aid a state effort to reduce harvest pressure on the blue crab and to continue a marine debris clean-up program.

The debris removal program began last winter, when 58 out-of-work watermen were paid to retrieve and dispose of marine debris and derelict crab pots. The watermen were paid $300 per day and reimbursed for fuel. They recovered more than 8,600 lost crab pots.

The program is expected to cost $1 million a year for three years.

The funds also will be used for a crab license buyback program and a stock assessment.