❄LIVE Blue Crabs, Handle with Care!

During the winter months, diehard American crabbers motor their Smith Island Crab Scrapes down into Southern Gulf waters. These vessels with their low freeboard and low beams make it easier to haul heavy pots out of the water. Their low profile impresses the onlooker as it glides through shallow lagoons. For the crab devouring enthusiast, this migration is essential to keep the blue crab feasts continuing throughout the winter months. Once the water temperatures hit 48°F, the blue crab searches for a muddy bay bottom floor to back into for a winter nap. Hibernation occurs in the northeast, but in the Gulf of America, the “beautiful swimmer that is savory” continues to forage for tasty snails, insects, oysters, small fish, etc. This eye on the thermometer even holds true when shipping those crabs up north. If the reefer reaches temperatures of either 40°F and 41°F, these conditions will become fatal and destroy any blue crab harvest. Conversely, temperatures over 88°F will cause overactive and then dying crabs from exhaustion. So, when managing blue crabs, keep them comfortable!

Breathing freely is a perfect start in keeping the blue crab unstressed. When transporting the crabs, make sure they have air to breathe. Avoid sealing their shipping container with a plastic liner. Leave holes in the lid of a water-resistant box. If using gel packs to keep the temperatures in the 50°F range, be sure to place wet newspaper, burlap, or towels to keep them moist. Refrigerant material will only cause the crab to suffocate and perish. Since a transit of no more than 30 hours is key, make sure they have an adequate air supply for the trip.

Crabcatering.com receives its crabs from Crab Depot and operates as a Mid Atlantic powerhouse in delivering freshly caught blue crabs to your holiday feast. Even though the calendar has turned to colder months when the blue crab finds hibernation choices, "Maryland Style" Crab Feasts keep popping up all winter long. Typically, the male burrows into the depths of the Chesapeake Bay, while females swim out to the continental shelf out in the Atlantic. Crab Depot takes the catch to the Gulf of America and uses the utmost care to keep them alive with the trip up to the north. What does this mean? Yes, a winter crab feast is in order. Go ahead and fill out your crab inquiry form and let us know about a Super Bowl Feast or even a Winter Fundraiser. Keep those mallets swinging and Happy Crabby Winter!