Watermen Still Fishing, Crabbing in Maryland's Coastal Waters
Every day‚ Billy Rice experiences the subtle change of dark dissolving into early morning shadows as he readies his 24-foot boat for another day off the Maryland shore. As a waterman‚ his concerns as his workday begins are not those of traffic jams and staff meetings‚ but whether the wind is going to blow or whether the tide is going to be too strong.
Together‚ yet alone‚ the watermen of Charles County push off into the early morning mist as they have done for decades. Most work independently until times are good enough to hire a helper. The occupation sometimes passes down through families‚ but these sons and daughters – like the generations before them – likely will spend most of their days on their own.
"It’s like you are in your own little world‚" Rice says. "But we do talk about our catches after our day’s work. And when the weather turns bad‚ we look out for each other."
The ancient culture of the watermen plays on in Charles County‚ ruled by the tides‚ the winds and the seasons.
In the spring and summer‚ the watermen are on the lookout for crabs. In the fall‚ their catch could be oysters‚ while winter brings rockfish season. Eels‚ used for bait or exported‚ are caught occasionally in the spring.
Rice‚ a lifelong resident of Charles County and full-time waterman‚ says the industry is undergoing a sea change.
The Chesapeake Bay region holds significantly fewer blue crabs today than it once did. The 2000 harvest was the Bay-area’s smallest since 1983.
While federal environmental officials and marine scientists say over harvesting may be a primary reason for the population drop‚ many watermen contend that eroding water quality and an overabundance of fish who feed on the blue crabs are to blame.
Nonetheless‚ crabbing‚ long a lucrative mainstay for Charles County watermen‚ is much more heavily regulated than in years past. The new laws control the amount of the catch‚ and limit a waterman’s workday to eight hours. Crab season also now ends at the beginning of November‚ a month earlier than in the past.
While prices for the crabs have risen‚ they haven’t kept up with the diminishing catches‚ Rice says.
"We used to make enough during the good times to tuck some away for the times that weren’t so good‚" he adds.
Rice‚ who is often on the water seven days a week‚ also farms to supplement his income. Many watermen have gotten out of the business altogether.
Harold Coombes‚ co-owner of Goosebay Marina & Campground says he used to have six or seven watermen setting out from his marina each day in the early morning hours‚ but now there may be only two or three.
Others are hanging on in hopes these hard times will pass‚ as others have.
"If we can just get through these times‚ things will get better‚" Rice says.
Although making a living as a waterman may be tougher today‚ the ancient mystique and beauty remain. Out on the water‚ the challenges and rewards of hauling in a large catch remain much the same.
Walter Maddox‚ a waterman and life-long resident of Charles County‚ says working the waters is the only thing he knows of that can offer him freedom and the right to be his own boss.
