Lack of visas hurt crab industry


March 23, 2009 11:25 PM ET

FISHING CREEK, Md. (AP) - Because would-be crab pickers haven't been able to get H2B temporary visas, many crab processing plans in Dorchester County are expected to stay closed when the season opens on April 1.

And Chesapeake Bay area watermen want First District Congressman Frank Kratovil to do something about the situation.

On Friday, some 150 waterman and people representing other industries met with Kratovil at the A.E. Phillips packing plant in Fishing Creek. There, crab pickers, mostly from Mexico, would be working - but federal red tape prevents their arrival.

This year, the H2B program was limited at 66,000 temporary visas. None of those went to the people who had been working in Dorchester County's crab processing plants.


Information from: Star Democrat Easton, http://www.stardem.com

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