How and Where to Buy Florida Stone Crabs

Fresh Florida stone crab claws are back in seafood markets and restaurants to the delight of Florida residents and visitors. The stone crab season is open from October 15 to May 15 each year. These delicacies are perfect for fall football gatherings and holiday parties, and they are especially easy since they can be purchased cooked and ready to eat. To enjoy the delectable, sweet meat, just crack the shells and dip into melted butter or your favorite sauce.

The claws are cooked immediately after harvest and sold fresh-cooked or frozen in seafood markets. To eat, crack the shell using a crab cracker or the back of a heavy spoon. Carefully remove the cracked shell pieces (they can be sharp) leaving the meat attached to the moveable pincer. The meat can also be picked from the claws and used as an ingredient in other recipes. Approximately 2.5 pounds of cooked stone crab claws will yield 1 pound of meat.

When in season, buy Florida stone crab claws at your local restaurant, fish market and supermarket. Stone crab claws also make a memorable holiday gift and can be ordered from suppliers that sell online. Be sure to always ask for Florida stone crab claws as there are look-a-likes that do not have the same delicious taste.

Florida stone crabs are located at the following restaurants: Charlies Stone Crabs, Billy's Fresh Stone Crabs, Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant, Rustic Inn Crab House, Catfish Dewey's, Trulucks, Jake's Stone Crab Restaurant, and Colonnade are just a few of the many restaurants who treat their customers to tasty morsels of Florida stone crabs.

In Florida, all stone crabs are usually fished in open water from nearshore to 60–80 ft depth, using traps that have specific legal requirements. The bodies of harvested crabs are not taken because there is very little meat in the body. The claws (chelae), which are large and strong, are considered a delicacy. Harvesting is accomplished by removing one or both claws from the live animal and returning the crab to the ocean where it can regrow the lost limb(s)(takes 12-14 months to regrow). Because stone crabs usually die if their claws are not removed properly, it is important to remove the claws correctly when harvesting them. If both claws are legal-sized, they may both be taken. The probability of surviving the declawing process and living to grow new claws is doubled if only one claw is taken. Stone crabs are carnivores and do not eat seagrass or algae.