Blue Crabs on the East Coast

[markk]

I've been eating meaty, succulent "blue crabs" this winter at my Chinese restaurant in NJ (Cantonese style) and then as of two weeks ago they stopped having them! But there's a communication breakdown, so they can't tell me why, only, "sorry, not tonight". (Very frustrating.)

I just learned (from another eG member) that in Maryland the season ends Dec. 15., though there's nothing to say that these crabs came specifically from there; they had them for another month in great supply so I'm guessing they didn't. These were not frozen, that's for sure. I would say that they came from somewhere where they were abundant because the restaurant only has them when they're plentiful and not too expensive; that's the best they've ever been able to tell me about why they have them in winter. (And as I say, they've been plump and meaty till the end!)

Can anybody explain to me how this works - when they're plentiful on the east coast, and where, when they're legal to catch or not, and what would explain their sudden disappearance around the second week in January? I'm wondering if they'll reappear. THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!

[weinoo]

I see fresh blue crabs in Chinatown year-round...all different sizes and prices. I think a lot of these come from Thailand or other southeast Asian countries.

[LPShanet]

I've been eating meaty, succulent "blue crabs" this winter at my Chinese restaurant in NJ (Cantonese style) and then as of two weeks ago they stopped having them!  But there's a communication breakdown, so they can't tell me why, only, "sorry, not tonight".  (Very frustrating.)

I just learned (from another eG member) that in Maryland the season ends Dec. 15., though there's nothing to say that these crabs came specifically from there; they had them for another month in great supply so I'm guessing they didn't.  These were not frozen, that's for sure.    I would say that they came from somewhere where they were abundant because the restaurant only has them when they're plentiful and not too expensive; that's the best they've ever been able to tell me about why they have them in winter.  (And as I say, they've been plump and meaty till the end!)

Can anybody explain to me how this works - when they're plentiful on the east coast, and where, when they're legal to catch or not, and what would explain their sudden disappearance around the second week in January?  I'm wondering if they'll reappear.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!

←

The traditional crab eating season in Maryland (which is the home of the blue crab) is said to be "months without an "R"...in other words May-August...in other words summer. However, in reality, the season has shifted later and later and it's really more like June or July before any decent ones start coming in, and they tend to last until October or even November. The person who told you the season ends on December 15th was probably referring to the "legal" season, which is the date after which fishermen in the area are no longer allowed to catch them (so that the populations have time to replenish).

However, for the last few decades, they've also been farmed in other parts of the US (mainly Texas, Louisiana and Florida), as well as around the world, which means they are theoretically available year round. So it's really a matter of who sources the crabs for the restaurant in question. MD's crab houses have them all year, but use the Louisiana, Texas and Florida sources for their winter supplies. Generally speaking, they should never be frozen, as they should be cooked live. Also, generally speaking if anyone tells you the crabs are from Maryland in mid-winter, they're lying.

Good luck!