Introduction
The Florida stone crab is a species of crab found in the western North Atlantic, from Connecticut to Belize, including TX, LA, the Bahamas, and the Gulf of Mexico. They have become popular both as recreational and commercial catches.
Florida stone crabs are one of Florida’s major fisheries contributing over 5 million dollars to the state economy. Although not endangered at the moment, scientists are concerned about a serious trend among stone crabs that may result in declining populations. This trend was noticed in 2007, when reports from trappers showed that there were fewer individual stone crabs present during trapping.
Responding to this information, researchers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began conducting studies to determine why this was happening and if any long-term impacts existed from such declines. These studies have included examining historical data on crab population trends across all six marine regions where they occur along with more detailed assessments of current populations within those regions. Researchers found evidence suggesting some areas may be affected by fishing pressures or habitat degradation due to pollution which could impact recruitment into these areas as well as traditional nursery habitats for juveniles after hatching occurs between late summer through mid fall every year depending upon water temperature conditions
Stone crabs are found in the western North Atlantic from New Jersey to Belize, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.
Stone Crabs live mainly in shallow waters and prefer muddy or sandy bottoms in sheltered areas such as bays or mangrove swamps. However they can be found anywhere between 10-50 meters deep and even occasionally up to 100 metres deep.
Since stone crabs can grow back their claws, they are not endangered. Thus, crabbing is a renewable resource and an important industry for the state of Florida. Stone crabs are also a popular food, with each claw having about 100 small legs that contain meat that’s similar to crab meat. Some people consider stone crabs to be a delicacy, but others think they’re just okay—they don’t fall into the category of delicacies like truffles or caviar. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them (or have never tried one), stone crabs are definitely a Florida specialty!
Conclusion
Stone crabs are one of Florida’s major fisheries contributing over 5 million dollars to the state economy. Although not endangered at the moment, scientists are concerned about a serious trend among stone crabs that may result in declining populations. This trend was noticed in 2007, when reports from trappers showed that there were fewer individual stone crabs present during trapping.