The Florida Stone Crab
This is a crab known for its claws and a season we look forward to each year. Meet the Florida Stone Crab. These crabs are harvested from the waters of Southern Florida – one claw at a time.
A renewable resource from the water itself, Florida Stone Crabs are harvested exclusively for their claws, which they’re able to regenerate when removed. The Florida Stone Crab season runs from mid-October through mid-March.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA STONE CRAB
The Florida Stone Crab (Menippe mercenaria) is a type of mud crab that burrows into muddy and sandy bottoms near river mouths, estuaries and mangrove forests around the coasts of Southern Florida. The latter provides the perfect space for these crabs, which are secretive in nature and like to hide under docks, mangrove roots or in small holes away from their natural predators like sea turtles, octopuses and grouper.
These crabs typically range in sizes from 5 to 6 ½ inches across their carapace, but it’s their black-tipped claws that really make this crab stand out. It’s the biggest crab you’re likely to find on a Florida beach, with 10 pairs of legs: eight for swimming and two for powerful pinching.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CLAWS
Primarily feeding on clams, oysters, snails and other mollusks, Florida Stone Crabs have powerful claws. Since its primary source of food is locked behind hard shells, these crabs have developed claws that can generate 19,000 pounds per square inch of force when closing.
Unlike other crabs, Florida Stone Crabs are only harvested for their claws which can regenerate, or regrow, if it’s been removed. This means the claw can be harvested and the crabs can be released back into their natural habitats while it grows back, a process that typically takes a year.
HARVESTING THE CLAWS
Florida Stone Crab Season is open yearly from October 15 to March 15. For a claw to be harvested, it now needs to be at least 2 ⅞ inches in length from the bottom section of the claw to the elbow, or first knuckle. Claws are available in a range of sizes from medium (7 to 8 claws per pound) to colossal (1 to 2 claws per pound).
To avoid the meat sticking to the inside of the claws, Florida Stone Crab claws are always cooked right after being harvested and either immediately sold or frozen to be sold later.
While it is legal to harvest both claws from the crab if they meet the size requirements, it’s frowned upon due to the crab’s chance for survival dropping significantly without both. Claws of an egg-bearing female cannot be harvested, and they must be returned to the water immediately.
It’s possible to distinguish between claws that are original and ones that have been regenerated. Here’s how: look on the inner facing side of the claw (propodus). If it’s the original claw, you’ll see a little print with continuous lines that look like a fingerprint. If the lines are broken or dotted, it is a regenerated claw.
Over 98% of the Stone Crab catch in the United States comes from Florida which is overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. As the leader in the fishery management, the FFWCC places limits on trap sizes, as well as number of traps and permits issued. Over 75% of the catch comes from Collier, Dade and Monroe Counties.
FLORIDA STONE CRAB AT WATER GRILL
These delectable claws are sweet and rich in flavor with a firm, dense texture. At Water Grill, we serve Wild Florida Stone Crab Claws chilled in two sizes - Large (3 to 5 claws per order) or Jumbo (1 to 2 claws per order). A mustard dipping sauce accompanies each order. This is a Southern Florida seasonal specialty and a must-try for any crab or seafood lover when available. Check out menus and seasonal availability here.
.png)
Chilean Sea Bass: The Sea's Greatest Rebrand
It wasn’t that long ago that having Chilean Sea Bass on the menu could get you run out of town. After a history of illegal, unreported and unregulated (also known as IUU) fishing, seeing this fish on a menu in the 90s became frowned upon. Thankfully, times – and practices – have changed. Now, fishing of Chilean Sea Bass is closely managed and certified. In fact, the MSC-certified Chilean Sea Bass is one of the most popular items on the Water Grill menu.
From near-extinction and banishment to craving, this fish has undergone quite the rebrand, but it wasn’t the first time.
HOW THE CHILEAN SEA BASS GOT ITS NAME
The Patagonian Toothfish, or Antarctic Toothfish, was relatively obscure to the world market until 1977, when a seafood wholesaler from Los Angeles, Lee Lantz, “discovered” it off the coast of Chile. There, it was known locally as “bacalao de profundidad” or “cod of the deep” in English. The fish was not very popular (its original name didn’t help) and it was thought to be relatively worthless by many local fishermen. Lantz described it as having a high oil content and white, flaky flesh.
Knowing the U.S. market would be unfamiliar, and partially perturbed, with terms like bacalao or toothfish, Lantz realized it was prime for a rebranding. He dubbed it a sea bass, attaching “Chilean” as an exotic modifier to a familiar-sounding type of American fish. The “new” name wouldn’t be recognized by the FDA until 1994 when it accepted “Chilean Sea Bass” as an “alternative market name” to the Patagonian Toothfish.
A HISTORY OF OVERFISHING
Because of the cold waters it inhabits, the Chilean Sea Bass is a very slow-growing fish, taking them about eight years to reach sexual maturity. However, they can live up to 50 years and reach weights over 250 pounds. Because of its slow-growing nature, and due to its blossomed popularity after its so-called discovery in the late 70s, the Chilean Sea Bass was at risk of being overfished. And it was.
NOAA states that “in 2000, more than 16,000 tons of Chilean Sea Bass were legally harvested in the Antarctic management area. Estimates vary, but there may be up to twice that amount taken illegally.” Although some illegal fishing may still happen, careful management and certification are helping the populations stabilize and restaurants take comfort in the viability and sustainability of the products they serve.
ABOUT THE CHILEAN SEA BASS
The Chilean Sea Bass is a deep lurker, usually being found at depths of 1,000 to 11,000 feet in the cold-water-deep-sea trenches near continental shelves. They will move to shallower waters to feed, with their diet mostly consisting of squid, small fish, shrimp and other crustaceans.
WELL-MANAGED FISHERIES
At Water Grill, we make sure to only feature Chilean Sea Bass that come from a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fishery. The MSC is an international organization that is committed to addressing the issues of overfishing throughout the world through fishery certification and seafood labeling. In addition to the MSC certification, all commercial fishing that is done in the immediate areas surrounding Antarctica, such as the Ross Sea, South Georgia Island, Herd Island, and other nearby areas, are managed by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) Commission and the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO)
HOW WE PREPARE CHILEAN SEA BASS
Chilean Sea Bass has a rich, buttery flavor with dense and moist meat. At Water Grill, we serve MSC-certified Wild Ross Sea Bass seasonally paired with either a cauliflower puree or a butternut squash with sage brown butter. Hungry for more? Head here to check out our menus or make a reservation.
.png)
