The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported this Tuesday that the stone crab harvesting season has officially begun in the state of Florida.
According to the FWC's announcement on social media platform X, the season for the capture of blue crabs officially began this Tuesday, October 15, and will run until May 1, 2025.
The commission announced through a statement that the minimum allowable size for the claws is 2 7/8 inches, approximately 7.3 cm.
As a reminder, he pointed out that all plastic or wooden traps, both recreational and commercial, must have an unobstructed escape ring of 2 3/16 inches (5.56 cm) in diameter on a vertical outer wall of the trap.
He also pointed out that, although this start of the season marks a key period for fishermen and consumers, they must adhere to the established regulations to ensure sustainable fishing.
On the other hand, the FWC's statement indicates that recreational harvesters aged 16 and older (including those who are normally exempt from needing a license) will be required to complete an online annual registration, at no cost, for the use of recreational stone crab traps.
At the end of the registration process, each person will receive a unique number that must be included on each trap, along with the owner's full name and address. This information must be legible and permanently attached to each one.
The commission also recommended that special care be taken when removing the claws of stone crabs to avoid causing them permanent injuries.
It was noted that it is prohibited to extract the claws of crabs that are carrying eggs, and the use of devices that can pierce, crush, or damage the body, such as spears or hooks, is not allowed.
Recreational harvesters can catch a daily maximum of one gallon of claws per person, or two gallons per vessel, depending on which is less.
In addition, each person can use up to five traps for royal crab, and it is important to remove them from the water when they are not in use to avoid "ghost fishing," where marine species become trapped without being collected.
The regulations for stone crab capture are the same in both state and federal waters, ensuring the protection of this species throughout the territory.
The impact of Milton in Florida will likely result in fewer crabs available for the culinary delight of those who enjoy eating this food, reported El Nuevo Herald.
One of the chefs who is concerned about this situation is Michael Schwartz, from Michael’s Genuine and Amara at Paraiso, who usually serves the meaty jaws with mustard or green sauce.
"I am worried about the start of the season," he said. "Will the storm make it difficult? There is a lot of inventory on the west coast, and from what I'm hearing from my sources, the start of the season will be complicated."
The wholesaler René Cárdenas, from The Fish Plug, based in Hialeah, also admitted to being worried about the current season.
"We're just waiting to see what happens. This wait is killing us; you can't go out to check the traps when the weather is bad," he said to the cited news portal.
If there are fewer available moroccan crabs, that shortage could affect the menu price, stated El Nuevo Herald.
Moroccan crabs are expensive due to the limited season, the labor-intensive harvesting, and the high demand.
Last year, it was priced from $20 to $24 per pound for medium ones (around five to six teeth); $25 to $32 for large ones (four to five teeth); and $40 for the largest ones.
However, some merchants, like Irene Guerrero of Holy Crab, a market based in Coral Gables that delivers crab to the entire country, "anticipates a price increase in light of recent events."
"But that usually happens at the beginning of the season," he said.
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