The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab

The Chesapeake Bay, which cuts Maryland nearly in half, is the largest estuary in the United States and one of the most biologically productive bodies of water in the world. It is fed by 150 rivers and streams draining a watershed that covers six states and Washington D.C. Maryland's blue crab, harvested from the bay, is one of the most economically and culturally significant seafood species in the country. The crabbing industry has been under pressure for decades as pollution and overharvesting have reduced populations, but the blue crab remains the defining symbol of the Maryland table.

Source: NOAA Ocean Service