Where Do Jonah Crabs Come Fron?

A growing market demand for jonah crab has increased fishing effort along the USA Atlantic Coast in the last two decades, according to an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) stock assessment of the species.

Jonah crab are harvested by lobstermen using lobster traps. As the demand for Jonah crab has increased, a mixed crustacean fishery has emerged that can target American lobster, Jonah crab, or both species.

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Abundance

According to a recent study, Chesapeake Bay blue crab harvests could be down in 2013. The latest Chesapeake Bay winter dredge survey, overall abundance of blue crabs dropped from 765 million to 300 million crabs.

Juvenile crab counts fell from 581 million to 111 million. The female population was estimated at 147 million, well above the minimum established threshold of 70 million.

Poor reproduction in 2013 and high mortality among 2012 year-class crabs may have led to the decline of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.

Maryland, Virginia, and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) said to be drafting new regulations that will reduce the harvest of female crabs by approximately 10 percent in response to the decline.

The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey samples blue crab numbers at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Where Do Dungeness Crabs Come From?

The Dungeness crab is one of North America's most popular crustaceans. This large, sweet tasting crab is often found in seafood markets and other food outlets.

Dungeness crabs are caught along the Pacific Coast of North America. They generally prefer cooler waters and are uncommon south of Point Conception, California. Dungeness crabs are usually found on sandy or muddy bottoms at depths of 300 feet or less.

The Dungeness is an important catch for U.S. Pacific Coast commercial fishermen. 2011 Dungeness crab landings exceeded 67.4 million pounds worth more than $185 million.

In some areas, Dungeness crabs are caught recreationally with crab pots (or traps), loop traps, and hoop nets.

Maryland Seafood Marketing Logo Contest Winner

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently unveiled the new logo for its Seafood Marketing Program. The winning design, created by John Snyder of Baltimore, will be used to in seafood marketing promotions throughout the State.

Earlier this summer, DNR’s Seafood Marketing Program held a logo contest in search of a new emblem that would showcase the Chesapeake Bay’s bounty. The Seafood Marketing Advisory Commission, responsible for choosing a winner, decided on Snyder’s design from the more than 75 submissions.

Snyder and four of his friends will enjoy a Chesapeake Bay Charter trip where they will choose to harvest one three types of Maryland seafood: blue crab, striped bass, or oyster.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

2011 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Abundance

Around the Chesapeake Bay, fishermen and seafood processors are gearing up for the 2011 season. Despite a serious winter kill, scientists believe that there will be good numbers of crabs for harvest this year.

The 2011 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey found that the Chesapeake Bay’s overall blue crab abundance has declined due to cold winter weather that killed as many as 31 percent of Maryland’s adult crabs.

According to the survey, 254 million adult crabs survived the bitter cold winter, with populations remaining above target for the third year in a row.

This is the first time since the early 1990s that the Bay has seen three consecutive years with the adult population was above the target (200 million crabs) and the harvest was below the target of 46 percent.

The primary assessment of the Bay’s blue crab population is conducted annually by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

Where Do Soft Crabs Come From?

un-cooked soft crabs

From May through September commercial fishermen of the Mid Atlantic and Gulf coasts harvest soft shelled blue crabs. These delicious crabs are considered a delicacy around the world.

During molting, the crab increases its size by roughly one-third. A blue crab may shed its hard outer shell many times during its life span.

When a crab sheds, it must be removed from the water immediately in order to prevent the shell from becoming hard.

Soft crabs that are purchased live should be kept moist and stored in a drip-proof tray, between wet newspapers or paper towels in a refrigerator.

Preparing a fresh soft crab for cooking is simple to do. Using sharp scissors, cut off the mouth and eyes. Cut off the apron. Lift the top shell and snip out the gills on each side. Rinse under cold water and drain. They are now ready to cook. After cooking, the entire soft crab is edible.

2011 Maryland Seafood Festivals

Oysters

Dozens of seafood festivals are held throughout Maryland each summer, continuing into November. Maryland seafood festivals vary in size and diversity, occurring in Annapolis, Leonardtown, Crisfield, Havre De Grace, Solomons Island, and other locations.

Several Maryland festivals specialize in certain seafood such as crabs, oysters, or fish, while others have a taste of it all. Festivals include entertainment and educational activities for the entire family.

Of interest to many seafood enthusiasts are festivals that host to cooking contests. The National Hard Crab Derby and Fair plays host to the Annual Crab Cooking Contest, the Maryland Seafood Festival boasts the Crab Soup Challenge, and the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival is the home of the National Oyster Cook-off.

A list of Maryland Seafood Festivals is available by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Maryland Department of Agriculture, Seafood Marketing Program
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401.

Festival contacts should be contacted directly for information on individual events.

Included in the list is a directory of fee fishing farms where anglers can catch their own fish.

source: Maryland Department of Agriculture

Valentines Day Dinner Ideas - Seafood Dishes

Seafood is always a popular choice for Valentine's Day dinners. Among the most commonly served seafood products are oysters, shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab and salmon. The following list includes several ideas for Valentines Day dinner appetizers and main courses:

Oysters

 - raw oysters on the half shell
 - steamed or roasted oysters
 - oyster stew

Shrimp

 - shrimp cocktail
 - stuffed shrimp
 - grilled shrimp
 - scampi

Lobster

 -  whole boiled lobster
 - grilled rock lobster tails
 - lobster rolls
 - lobster bisque

Crab

 - Alaskan king crab or snow crab legs
 - crab leg assortments; king, snow, Dungeness
 - fresh whole Dungeness crabs
 - Maryland blue crab crabcakes
 - traditional crab soup
 - stone crab claws

Scallops

 - bacon wrapped sea scallops
 - sautéed scallops

Salmon

 - smoked salmon dip (appetizer)
 - planked salmon
 - grilled salmon steaks
 - salmon chowder

Visit this extensive collection of seafood recipes to find the perfect meal for your next holiday dinner.

Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishery Earns Marine Stewardship Council Certification

The Oregon Dungeness crab fishery which operates off the USA west coast has earned Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. The MSC ecolabel was awarded following independent assessment to the MSC standard for sustainable, well-managed fisheries.

Dungeness crab is Oregon’s official 'state crustacean'. The crabs have been harvested commercially along the Pacific coast since the late 1800’s. Dungeness crabs range from central California to the Gulf of Alaska, and is Oregon’s most valuable single species fishery.

Oregon’s harvest for the 2009-2010 season was 23,195,059 pounds (10,521 metric tons) and the landed value was $44.8 million. Oregon is currently the top producer of Dungeness crab worldwide.

The Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission is the fishery client, with 425 limited entry license holders fishing primarily within 10 miles of the Oregon coast. Dungeness crab is sold live, or as fresh or frozen whole cooked crabs, as well as picked meat, legs and sections. The United States is the major market for Dungeness crab although products are also shipped to markets around the world.

"We are very happy to have successfully completed the certification process and join the other fisheries in Oregon and around the world that have earned this important sustainability designation," said Nick Furman, executive director of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission. "We anticipate that the MSC label will create new marketplace opportunities and recognition for ‘Oregon Dungeness’ as awareness of and demand for certified seafood products grows."

source: MSC

Donation from Santa Monica Seafood to Help Rebuild Crab Stocks

Santa Monica Seafood, a family-owned seafood company based in Santa Monica, California, made a donation to Alaska Sea Grant for its research program aimed at rebuilding Alaska’s collapsed red and blue king crab stocks.

David Christie, director of Alaska Sea Grant, welcomed the donation. Chistie said the money will be used to support research being done by the Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology Program (AKCRRAB), a partnership between Alaska Sea Grant, regional fishermen's groups, coastal communities, NOAA Fisheries, the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery and Chugach Regional Resources Commission, and the UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

Drawing on lessons learned each year, AKCRRAB scientists at the Alutiiq Pride Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, have steadily applied what they’ve learned about water temperature, flow rate, and artificial habitat to improve larval survival and hatchery productivity. They also experimented with types of food as well as feeding procedures for growing crab larvae. This year, 2.7 million red king crab successfully hatched from some 18 female red king crab.

Understanding the details of hatching and raising king crab in a hatchery is considered by commercial fishermen and researchers as a key step toward providing state fishery managers with the information they need to decide whether hatchery enhancement can help rebuild depleted king crab stocks.

source: Alaska Sea Grant

Stuffed Shrimp Recipe

Fresh Shrimp

This is a simple recipe that combines jumbo shrimp and blue crab meat from the Atlantic Coast. Locally sourced jumbo shrimp and blue crabs are available seasonally in states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

For seafood enthusiasts living outside local harvesting areas, jumbo shrimp and lump backfin crab meat is available frozen from a variety of sources.

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh wild caught jumbo shrimp
1 lb Atlantic blue crab meat
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crab seasoning
1 lemon (juice and pulp only)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup olive oil



1. Line a casserole dish with olive oil and place shrimp inside.
2. Mix egg, melted butter, mayonnaise, crab seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and onion.
3. Blend in crab meat.
4. Spread mixture over shrimp and bake at 400 for 5 minutes, until juices begin to boil.
5. Move to Broiler; cook until stuffing begins to brown lightly.

Florida Stone Crab Claw Season Ending

The season for harvest, possession and sale of stone crab claws in Florida closes May 16, 2010. This closure occurs each year to help protect and sustain Florida's valuable stone crab resource. Florida's stone crab season will reopen October 15, 2010.

Big December Harvests of Oregon Dungeness Crab

Early predictions of a mediocre Oregon Dungeness crab season were thoroughly defied in December, 2009.  The season started strong, with favorable weather and solid average weights, and so far it has not let up.  The historical average total Oregon annual catch over the course of the entire season (usually December-mid August) is 10.3 million pounds.  This year, in the first four weeks of the season Oregon crabbers landed 15.6 million pounds -- 2 million more pounds than were brought in during the entire 8.5 month season last year.

The good weather has afforded small boats a big advantage.  When the seas are stormy, only larger boats may safely venture out, but in calm weather the entire fleet can hit the water nearly every day.  Fortunately, this year there seems to be enough crab to go around.

source: Fishlink Sublegals