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The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus, from the Greek calli="beautiful", nectes="swimmer", and Latin sapidus="savory") is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, which is the Maryland State Crustacean and the subject of an extensive fishery.[1] They can deliver an extremely painful pinch and are noted for being particularly aggressive (even out of the water, they will lunge towards movement they consider a threat) and difficult to handle safely.
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Distribution and ecology
The blue crab is native to the western edge of the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina.[2] It has been introduced (via ballast water) to Japanese and European waters and has been observed from the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea.[3]
The natural predators of the blue crab include eels, drum, spot, trout, some sharks, and cownose sting rays. The blue crab is an omnivore, eating both plants and animals. Blue crabs typically consume thin-shelled bivalves, annelids, fish, plants and nearly any other item they can find, including carrion.
Commercial importance in the United States
The Chesapeake Bay, located in Maryland and Virginia, is famous for its blue crabs, and they are one of the most important economic items harvested from it. In 1993, the combined harvest of the blue crabs was valued at around 100 million U.S. dollars. Over the years the harvests of the blue crab dropped [4]; in 2000, the combined harvest was around 45 million dollars. Late in the twentieth century, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources created stricter guidelines for harvesting blue crabs to help increase populationscitation needed. These include raising the legal size from 5 to 5¼ inches (from 12.7 to 13.3 cm) and limiting the days and times they may be caught.
While blue crabs remain a popular food in the Chesapeake Bay area, the Bay is not capable of meeting local demand. Most whole blue crabs sold in restaurants in Maryland are shipped into the region from North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida and Texas and many crabcakes are made of crabmeat imported from overseas. Additionally, at least one well-known "traditional Maryland" seafood restaurant[5] -while closely associated with Maryland crabs - actually specializes in importing a different type of crab from Southeast Asia and employs up to 15,000 people in that region.
Harvesting techniques
Blue crabs are commercially harvested by using a trap known as a "crab pot" (similar to a Lobster pot). The crab pot is made out of wire mesh (older designs of wood and wire also exist, as well as all metal varieties) and is cubical in shape. The crab pot usually contains two "entrances" for the crabs that prohibit exit. These are in the form of a tapered aperture that allows the crab to squeeze through in one direction only. A crab pot is baited with any of several types of meat, including bunker, bluefish, chicken or eel. The bait is placed in a holding compartment, a separate meshed enclosure in the center of the pot which is accessible through a door on the bottom of the crab pot. This design attracts the crabs through the entrances while preventing them from completely removing the bait. The pots are distributed throughout the crabber's harvesting area in long straight lines and are checked approximately once a day for captures or depleted bait. Crabs that are caught are removed, and the pot is re-baited for the next day.
For the recreational crabber, there exist a variety of crab traps. (Recreational crabbers rarely use commercial pots.) The design of a trap can vary widely, but the common varieties are made out of wire mesh. The crab trap is usually cubical or pyramidal in shape although cylindrical designs are also used. The crab trap contains some form of "entrance" for the crabs, such as hinged panels, that are typically closed as the trap is raised from the water. Like the commercial pots, the crab trap is baited with any of several types of meat, chicken usually being the easiest to obtain. The bait is placed in a holding spot in the middle of the trap usually in some form of clip allowing the crab direct access. This design has the potential to more easily allow the crab to escape with the bait but the trap is usually checked frequently enough (every 15 to 30 minutes) to prevent this from happening. Some recreational crabbers add the catch from the traps to a "keeper pot" that holds the live crabs until a substantial harvest is accumulated. When the keeper pot is appreciably full, the contents are prepared for a "crab feast" or for sale.
Crabs can also be caught with a trotline. While this method generally allows one to catch more crabs than other recreational methods, it requires more effort and equipment. This method is used by advanced recreational crabbers and some smaller commercial operations. Other recreational methods involve line crabbing (using a single baited line similar to fishing) or simply wading through the water with a dip net.
Preparation
Blue crabs are most often eaten in the hard shell. Steaming them in large pots with water, vinegar and seasoning (Old Bay Seasoning is a popular variety in Maryland) is the norm on the East coast. However, places like New Orleans tend to boil them in water and heavy cajun seasoning which is similar to boiling crawfish. The cooked crabs are cracked by hand, and the meat pulled out and eaten directly. The picked meat, especially the large chunks from the backfin area, can also be used to make crab cakes, crab soup, or other dishes.
Crabs caught just after molting (before the new shell has had time to harden) are prepared as soft shell crabs. Soft shell crabs are prepared by first cutting out the gills, face, and guts. The crab is then battered in flour, egg, and seasoning, then fried in oil until crispy. The result can be served as an entrée, or in a sandwich.
Blue crabs average 15% edible meat, and that meat is high in vitamin B12. Just three ounces of crab meat contain a full day's allowance of the vitamin.
References
- ^ "Maryland State Crustacean". Maryland State Archives (2005-12-27).
- ^ "Callinectes sapidus". Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce (2004-10-11).
- ^ "Callinectes sapidus". CIESM: The Mediterranean Marine Research Network (August 2006).
- ^ Report: Number of Blue Crabs in Bay Remains Below Long-Term Average, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July 28, 2008
- ^ Baltimore Sun, 2007
External links
- Blue Crab Life Cycle
- The Maryland Blue Crab Blue crab fact and information website.
- Boy crabs boogie to bring females out of hiding - the wild dance of male blue crabs propels a jet of pheromones to attract would-be lovers, New Scientist, 7 April 2008
- Chesapeake watermen fear blue crab not coming back - Associated Press, July 16, 2008
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 3 September 2008, at 18:37.
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