11 TV Hill examines reason behind crab picker shortage
Updated: 11:30 AM EDT May 23, 2021
JASON: A MARYLANDER’S FAVORITE SEASON IS CRAB SEASON, OF COURSE. CRABS FROM OCEAN TO TABLES EACH YEAR HAS LEFT MANY BUSINESS OWNERS IN A PINCH. OUR OWN AMY LU TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN SHORE WITH MORE ON THE CRY FOR HELP FROM MARYLAND’S CRAB HOUSES. AMY: EVERY YEAR, HERE, ON THE BEAUTIFUL EASTERN SHORE, MARYLAND GETS READY FOR ITS EPIC CRAB SEASON. BUT THERE’S ONE ISSUE, AND THAT CENTERS AROUND IMMIGRATION. AND BUSINESS OWNERS HERE SAY THAT COULD THREATEN THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THE INDUSTRY ITSELF. AT LAND’S EDGE, IN DORCHESTER COUNTY, WHERE THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND HOOPER’S ISLAND MEET, THE SOUND AND AROMA OF A MARYLAND DELICACY. THE PICKERS HERE NEED ONLY A FEW SECONDS AND A KNIFE TO FISH OUT JUMBO LUMP CRAB. ♪ >> SOME OF THESE GIRLS HERE PICK 30 TO 40 POUND A DAY. AMY: FOR BRIAN HALL, CO-OWNER HERE AT G.W. HALL SEAFOOD, ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING CRAB HOUSES IN THE STATE MAKING UP AS MUCH AS 95% OF MARYLAND’S SEAFOOD INDUSTRY. THESE ARE HIS 30 OR SO ESSENTIAL WORKERS. EACH EMPLOYEE HERE IN THE U.S. ON WHAT’S CALLED AN H2-B VISA. EVERY YEAR FOR HALL IS A GAMBLE. APPLICATIONS FOR THE H2-B’S GO THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY THROUGH A LOTTERY SYSTEM. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAPS THE VISAS, SHARED AMONG BUSINESSES NATIONWIDE, TO 33,000 PER SEASON. THAT IS 66,000 PER YEAR. THIS SEASON, G.W. HALL WAS NOT PICKED. >> FOR THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, WE’VE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THE WORKERS. IT’S REALLY A PAIN. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. AMY: SCRAPING BY WITH LAST SEASON’S WORKERS WHO MUST RETURN TO MEXICO MID-SEASON. HALL SAYS BUSINESS WILL HURT. >> LAST YEAR, WE NEVER GOT ANY WORKERS UNTIL OCTOBER, AND I ALMOST LOST ALL MY CUSTOMERS. THAT’S BEEN DEALING WITH ME FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. AMY: JUST DOWN THE ROAD, A DIFFERENT STORY. RUSSELL HALL SEAFOOD GOT THEIR PICKERS THIS ROUND, JUST IN TIME FOR THE PEAK OF CRAB SEASON. AND SO, TOO, OLD SALTY’S SEAFOOD WITH A DOZEN OR SO WORKERS, PICKING CRAB FOR UP TO NINE HOURS A DAY. WORKERS RELY ON THE MONEY MADE HERE TO HELP FAMILY BACK HOME. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> ONCE THESE CRABS COME IN HERE, IT COULD BE QUITE UGLY HERE. AMY: ANOTHER CRAB HOUSE WITHOUT VISAS, J.M. CLAYTON SEAFOOD IN CAMBRIDGE. FOR YEARS, OWNER JACK BROOKS HAS BEEN LOOKING TO HIRE, IN SEARCH OF LOCAL EMPLOYEES. HE’S ONLY RECEIVED A HANDFUL OF APPLICATIONS. >> WE’VE BEEN TRYING TO GET LOCAL PEOPLE TO COME IN FOR YEARS. I MEAN, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE LOCAL PEOPLE AND GET AWAY FROM THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT’S SO PROBLEMATIC. AMY: ANOTHER SEASON WITHOUT VISAS -- BROOKS SAYS ANOTHER REASON THREATENING TO CLOSE. FOR YEARS, LAWMAKERS -- INCLUDING GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN -- HAVE APPEALED TO TOP LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, WRITING IN A STATEMENT TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS, IN PART, "CONTINUED HARDSHIP COULD PERMANANTLY DAMAGE AMERICA’S SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, CAUSING THESE ICONIC FAMILY AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO CLOSE HERE IN MARYLAND, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE EASTERN SHORE." WAVES OF SEASONAL HARDSHIP. >> I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING FROM YEAR TO YEAR. I JUST WISH THERE WERE A PERMANENT FIX. I MEAN, THAT’S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR EVERYBODY. AMY: AND SO, FOR THE HANDFUL OF CRAB HOUSES THAT DID NOT GET THEIR VISAS, THEY’LL HAVE TO REAPPLY IN THE FALL, WAITING ON THAT PERMANENT SOLUTION TO GET THEIR SEASONAL WORKE
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11 TV Hill examines reason behind crab picker shortage
Updated: 11:30 AM EDT May 23, 2021
Crab season is a Marylander's favorite time of the year, but finding help to get crabs from the ocean to tables each year has left many business owners in a pinch.Every year on the Eastern Shore, Marylanders get ready for the state's epic crab season. But there's one issue centering around immigration, which business owners said could threaten the very existence of the industry.
Crab season is a Marylander's favorite time of the year, but finding help to get crabs from the ocean to tables each year has left many business owners in a pinch.
Every year on the Eastern Shore, Marylanders get ready for the state's epic crab season. But there's one issue centering around immigration, which business owners said could threaten the very existence of the industry.
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May 23, 2021 at 10:30PM
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11 TV Hill examines reason behind crab picker shortage - WBAL TV Baltimore
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