Almost Time To Get Crackin' As Stone Crab Season Begins Saturday
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Seafood lovers rejoice! Saturday, October 15 is the official start of Stone Crab season.
The season runs through May 1.
Regulations in effect this season:
- The minimum claw size limit will be 2 7/8 inches (an 1/8 inch increase).
- Possession of whole stone crabs - 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less.
- The season ends on May 1 and closes on May 2.
- All plastic and wood stone crab traps will need to be outfitted with a 2 3/16-inch escape ring before the 2023/2024 season.
Other tips and regulations:
- When catching catch a crab the claws can be removed, but throw back the crab and be careful when removing the claws so the crab isn't permanently injured.
- Egg bearing females cannot be declawed.
- No hooks or spears are allowed.
- Crabs must be captured in stone crab traps (max. 5 per person), dip or landing net .
- Stone crab regulations are the same in state and federal waters.
Recreational Trap Registration
Recreational harvesters who are age 16 and older and fish with traps are required to complete an online, no-cost recreational stone crab trap registration and place their registration number on their traps before using them. To register, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, sign in, click the blue "Purchase a License" button, scroll down to the "Saltwater Permits" section, and select "Recreational Stone Crab Trap Registration."
Upon completion, each person will receive unique trap registration numbers that must be included on each trap along with the owner's full name and address. This information must be legible and must be permanently attached to each trap.
The nice thing about eating stone crab claws, other than they are delicious, is that stone crab claws are the only renewable resource from the water. Crabbers are asked to take only one claw from each crab, which is then regenerated over time.
A crab that is returned to the water with one claw intact is able to get more food in a shorter amount of time and therefore regrow its claw faster.
When in season, stone crabs are widely available at seafood stores and supermarkets throughout South Florida. The claws are cooked soon after being harvested, then chilled and served cold. If you get them cracked at the store, it's best to eat them within 12 hours. If you buy them uncracked, they can be refrigerated and eaten within two days.
And if you're already a stone crab fan, then you know they come at a hefty price.
Prices do fluctuate but are most expensive during peak demand such as the first week of the season, and around major holidays such as Christmas, New Year's Eve and even the Super Bowl.
Click Here for a complete list of rules and regulations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.