Florida`s Stone Crab Fishery - Miami

Florida’s Stone Crab
Fishery
2011 Seafood Webinar Series Presenters
Dr. Lisa Krimsky,
Miami-Dade Sea Grant Extension Agent
Bryan Fluech,
Collier County Sea Grant Extension Agent
Using Elluminate
Hand raising and
emotion functions
Polling function
Goals
1. Increase your knowledge of a stone
crab’s basic biology and ecology
3. Make you a more informed consumer
in the purchasing and handling of
stone crabs
Photo credit: FWC
2. Enhance your understanding of the
trends, importance, and management
of Florida’s stone crab fishery
How many species of stone crab
are harvested in Florida?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
Photo credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
2 Species of Stone Crabs
Hybrid
Menippe adina
Image: Fred Vose, FSG
Menippe mercenaria
Image: gsmfc
Image: South Carolina DNR/SERT
Florida Stone Crab
Menippe mercenaria
Subtidal – 60 m
Den dwellers
Menippe mercenaria
Image: South Carolina DNR/SERT
Life Cycle
<30 mm
>2 years for maturity
7-9 year lifespan
Juvenile
Zoea
Planktonic larval stage
5 stages
Duration 2-3 weeks
Planktonic postlarval stage
Settles to benthos
Megalopae
Photos: L. Krimsky
Life History
Image credits: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Mating only occurs after
the female has molted.
– Sept-Nov
• Spawning typically
Apr- Sept
• 4-6 sponges per season
– size of sponge
proportional to size of
female
Size Matters!!!
Larval Release
Video: L. Krimsky
Stone Crab Fishery
Image credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
Image credit: FWC
– declawed regenerates
– new recruits
Image credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
• Unique- by law, only legal size
(≥ 70mm propodus length) claws
harvested
• Only fishery without 100% mortality
• 2 sources of recruits:
“Propodus length”
It is against the law to take
both claws from a stone
crab even if they both
meet the minimum size
requirement.
A. True
B. False
Image credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
True or False?
Approximately 13% of
claws in the fishery are
estimated to be
regenerated
- FWC
FWC
Image credits:
FWC
credits:
Claw mage
Original vs. Regenerated Claws
Survival Rates of Crabs with Lost Claw(s)
1. Type of wound?
2. One claw or two?
3. Size and sex of crab?
Image credits: FWC
Fishery Landings
Harvest maximum reached
Muller et al. 2006
2010 Commercial Stone Crab Landings
•4th in value in 2010
–$23,669,192
•Monroe/ Collier Counties
~52% of total state landings
•Other Counties with
significant stone crab
landings
–Citrus, Pinellas, Lee
~28% of State landings
Data source: FWC
Stone Crab Management
FWC manages the fishery in both state and federal waters*
Regulations
• 7-month open season
(October 15-May 15th)
• Minimum claw size requirement
(2 ¾ inches/70 mm)
• Trap specifications
• Trap limitation program
• Female crabs with eggs prohibited
from harvest
Image credits: Bryan Fluech, FSG
Commercial Gear
– Degradable slat
– Concrete bottom
– Trap tag (permit)
• Marked float
– “X”
– Endorsement #
Photo credits: FWC and Bryan Fluech
• Baited wooden or plastic traps
Stone Crab Trap Retrieval
Video and images: Bryan Fluech
• Recommended by Stone
Crab Advisory Board
• Supported by license funds
• Provides data on overall
condition of stone crab
population
– Biological/morphological data
• Compare results to
historical landings
Image credits: FWC-FWRI
Stone Crab Independent Monitoring Program
Tampering with
traps is ILLEGAL!
• Report illegal activity by
calling
1-888-404-FWCC (3922)
To prevent a stone crab’s meat from
sticking to the inside of the shell,
processors….
A. Place the claws on ice before
cooking them
B. Cook the claws before cooling
them down
C. Dry them out in the sun
D. Crack the claws before cooking
them
Image credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
Photo credit: Kellys Fish House
•Cook
•Cool
•Grade
•Sell
http://www.charliesstonecrabs.com/about.php
Back at the Dock
•$10-30 per pound*
•Sold Cooked
-Medium: 6/7 claws per lb
-Large: 4/5 claws per lb
-Jumbo: 2/3 claws per lb
Image credit: Grimms Seafood Inc
Buying, Storing, and Eating
Stone Crab Claws
• Intact claws can be frozen
for up to 6 months (0°F)
-thaw in fridge
•Firm texture, sweet meat
Image credit: FLDACS
•Store up to 2 days at 32°F
Serve alone hot/cold or use in any recipe
calling for crabmeat or lobster.
Stone Crabs Are Good For
You!!!
Low fat, high source of protein, vitamin
B6, selenium and magnesium.
Image credit: Bryan Fluech, FSG
Recreational Stone Crabbing
• 5 trap maximum
• Daily bag limit 1 gallon
claws per harvester or 2
gallon per vessel
• Fishing license required
• Traps must be retrieved
manually
– Daylight hours
– “R” on buoy
– Name/address affixed to
trap
Image credit: FWC
Stone Crab Resources
• How to crack a stone crab claw YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq1sVXLQyiw&fea
ture=related
• Billy’s Stone Crabs Commercial harvesting of stone
crab YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z4bThaKQ74&fea
ture=related
• Stone Crab Recipes
www.fl-seafood.com
Thank You!
Please do not forget to complete the
online evaluation that will be sent to you!
Webinar Recordings
http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/environment/sea_grant_seafood.shtml
Answers to Webinar Questions
(Slide 5) How many species of stone crab are
harvested in Florida? Answer: 2
(Slide 12) True or False: It is against the law to take
both claws from a stone crab even if they both meet
the minimum size requirement. Answer: False
(Slide 22) To prevent a stone crab’s meat from sticking
to the inside of the shell, processors…. Answer: Cook
the claws before cooling them down