A volunteer panel has suggested some long-term solutions for Virginia’s ailing crabbing industry, but state officials said they are not sure the panel’s ideas will work.

Laurie Naismith, public information officer for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, said that the commission received the panel’s report in June and talked about it a bit at its July meeting. The commission has asked the panel to meet with fisheries management staff to embrace the panel’s recommendations with scientific arguments.

The commission has not voted to approve any of the panel’s suggestions at this point, Naismith said Monday.

The 15-member Virginia Blue Crab Industry Panel is a volunteer-led group of commercial watermen created to advise the VMRC on ways to improve the crabbing industry. Bill Mullis of Gloucester, chairs the panel, which includes Wes Robins, also of Gloucester, and Jimmy Dean Close, Jim Hudgins and J.C. Hudgins, all of Mathews.

In its priority recommen...