Stone crab season in Florida is a beloved annual tradition for seafood lovers. From mid-October through early May, these sweet and meaty crustaceans take center stage on menus and fishing boats across the state.
When is Stone Crab Season?
The official stone crab season in Florida runs from October 15 to May 15 each year This seasonal availability is due to regulations that protect stone crab populations during their breeding season in the summer months. By prohibiting harvests during this time, it ensures there are enough stone crabs to support a sustainable fishery year after year
Stone crabs migrate northwards along Florida’s Atlantic coast from October to December. This is when they are most abundant and easiest to harvest, making mid-fall the peak of stone crab season. By May, most stone crabs have traveled back south and out of reach. So for a delicious plate of stone crab claws, October through April is your window of opportunity!
Why is Stone Crab a Big Deal in Florida?
While found along the entire southeast US coast, Florida is by far the largest producer of stone crabs. In fact, around 90-95% of stone crabs harvested in the US come from Florida waters. No other state comes even close in terms of sheer volume and economic impact.
This popularity traces back over a century to one influential early adapter: Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant in Miami Beach. Opened in 1913, owner Joe Weiss was encouraged by a scientist to experiment with the under-appreciated stone crabs swarming the area. Weiss discovered that simply boiling and chilling the meaty claws made for a sweet, tender delicacy. Almost overnight, stone crabs became Joe’s signature dish and a Miami sensation.
Today, the stone crab industry in Florida employs thousands of commercial fishermen and drives millions in revenue annually. For locals and tourists alike, stone crab season is highly anticipated as both an economic and cultural tradition.
How Are Stone Crabs Harvested Sustainably?
Stone crabs are harvested in a sustainable manner by only taking one or both claws and returning the live crab to the ocean. A stone crab can regrow a lost claw over time, so taking just the claws allows the crab to continue living while still providing food.
Fisheries are carefully regulated and monitored to protect future populations. There are restrictions on size, harvest locations, number of claws taken, and strict fishing seasons. These precautions are why most experts consider Florida stone crabs to be one of the more sustainable seafood sources.
Where to Enjoy Stone Crabs in Florida
From dive bars to white tablecloth restaurants, stone crab claws are ubiquitous across Florida during season. Some of the best places to savor stone crabs include:
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Joe’s Stone Crab – Miami Beach, legendary originator over 100 years old
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Rusty Pelican – Key Biscayne, stone crabs with confit vegetables
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Frenchy’s Stone Crab – Clearwater Beach, local favorite for fresh catch
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Key Largo Fisheries – Florida Keys, stone crabs enjoyed dockside
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Edgewater Beach Hotel – Naples, claw-cracking tables with mustard dipping sauce
Outside of Florida, many restaurants ship fresh stone crabs nationwide. You may also order steamed claws online direct from local Florida fisheries. But for the true experience, nothing beats enjoying stone crabs dockside as the boats return with their fresh catch.
How to Eat Stone Crabs
Enjoying stone crab is part of the experience:
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Chill claws on ice or refrigerate to optimal cold temperature
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Use a mallet to crack the hard shells – takes some practice!
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Extract the meat by hand – leave behind any gills or innards
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Dip the sweet lump meat into melted butter or mustard sauce
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Savor the tender, slightly salty and subtly sweet flavors
Some aficionados claim stone crabs are only authentic when served ice cold with tangy mustard sauce. Others might prefer them gently warmed with clarified butter. However you choose, stone crab is a singular Florida delicacy best enjoyed simply with friends and family.
The Celebration of Stone Crab Season
Beyond just a tasty seasonal treat, stone crab season is cause for celebration across Florida:
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Excitement builds for opening day on October 15, with lines out the door at iconic spots like Joe’s Stone Crab.
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Local festivals showcase stone crabs like the annual Stone Crab Festival in Naples and Frenchy’s Stone Crab Weekend in Clearwater Beach.
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Special events and claw-cracking contests abound at restaurants and bars hosting stone crab boils.
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Fishermen compete for early season bragging rights to deliver the first fresh catch.
Stone crab season offers a unique way to experience some authentic Florida culture while enjoying an amazingly delicious local delicacy you won’t find anywhere else.
So if you find yourself in Florida between October and May, be sure to take part in this iconic seasonal tradition. Crack open some chilled claws, dip the sweet meat in mustard sauce, and savor a taste found only in the Sunshine State. It’s the ultimate way to celebrate what makes Florida so uniquely special.
Requirements for Recreational Traps
Recreational fishers age 16 and older (including those normally exempt from needing a license) are required to complete an online, no-cost recreational stone and/or blue crab trap registration before using stone or blue crab traps.
To register, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com and add the Recreational Stone Crab Trap Registration or the Recreational Blue Crab Trap Registration to your fishing license account.
Upon completion, each person will receive unique trap registration numbers that must be included on each trap along with the owner’s full name and address. Registration numbers for stone crab traps will begin with the letter “S”; registration numbers for blue crab traps will begin with the letter “B.” This information must be legible and must be permanently attached to each trap.
This no-cost registration will allow FWC to collect important information about these recreational fisheries needed for future stock assessments and management decisions.
Harvesters under 16 are not required to register but still must mark their traps with their name and address.
Minimum Size Limit: 2 7/8 inches; only claws may be harvested.
Daily Bag Limit: 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less.
Harvest from egg-bearing crabs prohibited.
State Waters Harvest Seasons: Open Oct. 15 – May 1 (closed on May 2)
Traps may be placed in the water 10 days prior to the opening of the season, but once placed, you may not tend to the traps until the start of the season, at which time you may begin harvesting.
Gear Requirements:
- Legal Gear: stone crab trap (max. 5 per person), dip or landing net
- Illegal Gear: Any device that can puncture, crush or injure the crab body, such as spears, grains, grabs, hooks or similar devices.
- Maximum trap size is 24 inches by 24 inches by 24 inches or a volume of 8 cubic feet
- Traps can be made from either wood, wire or plastic
- The throat or entrance must be 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches
- Throat must be no larger than 5 1/2 by 3 1/8 inches in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade
- If the throat or entrance is round, it cannot exceed 5 inches in diameter
- Round throats prohibited in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties
- The trap must have a degradable panel that is 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches and is made of cypress or untreated pine slat no thicker than ¾ of an inch
- Wire traps must have at least three unobstructed escape rings (2 3/8 inches in diameter) located on a vertical side of the trap.
- For the 2024-25 stone crab season and beyond, an unobstructed escape ring 2 3/16 inches in diameter to be located within a vertical exterior trap wall for all recreational and commercial plastic or wood stone crab traps is required.
- Harvesters name, address, and unique recreational trap registration number must be permanently affixed to each trap and legible
- The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible “R” that is at least 2 inches tall.
- Buoys are not required if trap is fished from a dock.
- Traps must be pulled manually (not by a trap-puller). Any vessel that is rigged with a trap-puller will be considered a commercial vessel and the appropriate licenses will be required.
- Traps must be pulled only during daylight hours.
- Traps must not be placed in navigational channels of the Intracoastal waterways, or in navigational channels maintained and marked by any county, municipal, state or federal governmental agency.
Special regulations apply for traps and this species when in Biscayne National Park.
Everything to know about stone crab season in Florida
FAQ
Are stone crabs in season in Florida now?
Caught using baited traps, stone crabs are legal to harvest in Florida from October 15 through May 1, which is why you’ll only see the sweet meat starring …
How much is 1 lb of stone crab claws?
The Large stone crab claws are $47 per pound.
Why is Florida stone crab so expensive?
Florida stone crab claws are expensive due to a combination of factors including limited availability, strict regulations, and high demand.
What is the best month for stone crabs?
Florida stone crabs are one of the true gems of Gulf coast seafood, as the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico lead to delicate, tender claw meat that is prized by crab aficionados around the world. Each year, the Florida stone crab season begins in mid-October and runs until May 1st the following year.