+/- OT: Green Crabs

[CLAMFARMER]

Hey All,

Some of you may know our coast is loaded with green crabs. Around here, they appear to be worse than we’ve ever seen them. They are eating large numbers of softshell clams, particularly the new sets. Like bees on blueberry blossoms, eventually they get nearly everyone, especially in soft bottom. NFG!

So, we’re trying to find ways to get rid of em. Naturally, extreme cold winters are the only way to cut em back en masse. WE are told, across the board, we will see less and less extreme cold winters.

There is no current consistent market for them outside of bait for tautog (blackfish) and stripers and that is seasonal.

We’re looking hard for ideas and suggestions. Yes, trapping can work, but the level of trapping would need to be GIGANTIC and with no current market.  We can compost them, but we dont’ have the time and it wouldn’t pay $. Myself, on my aquaculture site I can trap the speciific area and at least distract them from my 6 acres.

In Penobscott, Northern Bay, They set 17 modified lobster traps, hauled 7 times for 50 bushels. That doesn’t count the crabs the filtered through the 1” lobster wire. I hear they are getting burned out over there as the don’t have the time to keep hauling the traps and they have not seen diminishing returns. Sounds depressing......

Would bear bait be one way to look at? Any ideas? Suggestions? Knowledge of potential or existing markets?? I dunno.

I may look into a grant to explore ideas for marketing like processing  them into some kind of lobster bait, maybe mixed with herriing oil in a protein binder shaped like a hockey puck to fit right in a bait bag.......no idea is too far out if at all plausible

Go Ahead

I’ve already heard “ddt laced buckets of herring".......Not Funny.

[Santo180]

crab meal for animal feed?

[CLAMFARMER]

crab meal for animal feed?

There has to be a dollar incentive. Maybe aquaculture fish feed. The are growing halibut and cod now, along with salmon. Cobia and tilapia to the southern........

I hear bait prices $8 a bushel to $40 a bushel for culled ones. I cant imagine culling the little buggers. A lot of work.

[outdoorsman]

This could require some out-of-the-box thinking, along these lines: 

http://www.wlbz2.com/news/article/153634/3/UMaine-designing-biodegradable-golf-balls-

Maybe talk to some of those engineers...they could tell you some uses given what these critters are made of. 

One question...would they make good fertilizer?  With increasing fuel and feed prices, farmers need to cut back on costs by growing more of their own feed.  Fertilizer can also be expensive, which hurts when trying to grow more crops.  I think that there could be a market there, if they could be converted into some type of fertilizer and prices if were competitive.

[CLAMFARMER]

Hey Ian, All true and I will look into your suggestion. The price point is the key. What would it take to make it worth fishing em at least for some guys? It would seem there would need to be one or more central buying stations/wholesalers or maybe aquaculture feed manufacturers to sell to.

There is no box. There is no box. There is no box.

[waterwolf603]

There has to be a dollar incentive. Maybe aquaculture fish feed. The are growing halibut and cod now, along with salmon. Cobia and tilapia to the southern........

I hear bait prices $8 a bushel to $40 a bushel for culled ones. I cant imagine culling the little buggers. A lot of work.

feed for aquarium fish, I Know I used frozen fish food for my fresh water tank that consists of blood worms and shrimp I would imagine the crab meat could be used similarly for salt water fish maybe even fresh too. Just a thought

[0Dark30]

are they edible?

[fishlessman]

anybody try just deepfrying them whole, maybe they are good

[CLAMFARMER]

are they edible?

anybody try just deepfrying them whole, maybe they are good

I’m told they have the highest % protein of area crustaceans. I have heard there was hope that the soft shell crab market might work, but then I’ve heard they are bitter unlike the more southerly blue crab. I will have to try them! The ones turning red are ready to shed. Maybe that’s one angle to look at. I’ll hold a few red ones in an aerated bucket as you need to pull them immediately when then shed.

But, I think we need some more immediate action w/o time for niche market development. I DO like the aquaculture fish food tack !

Go Ahead

[landlockedsalmon]

Take a few to the local china diner,if they can't make them taste good,they ain't worth eatin.LLS

[Hell Fish]

I will not eat green crabs and clams,

Not in a boat with a goat,

Not in a box with Courtney Cox...

I do not like green crabs and clams,

I will not eat them Sam I AM..

On second thought,

I will eat clams with Courtney Cox,

But Sam I Am you cannot watch!

[CLAMFARMER]

Make that up yourself? 

 

I will not eat green crabs and clams,

Not in a boat with a goat,

Not in a box with Courtney Cox...

I do not like green crabs and clams,

I will not eat them Sam I AM..

On second thought,

I will eat clams with Courtney Cox,

But Sam I Am you cannot watch!

[deerhunter]

i use them for tog fishing in the fall. buckets of em. how big do they get? maybe the japs can find some way to eat them.

[0Dark30]

What do you think the sustainable catch rate would be? what is the average size of the crabs you are seeing? I have a friend that i talked to about this, he is a feed and fertilizer guy. He asked about viable volumes of product cause it is a waste of time to try and develop a product and market with out the supplies of raw materials. If and when he gets his ducks in a row can you supply me with 15 or 20 lbs of crabs for him to test and experiment with?

[CLAMFARMER]

What do you think the sustainable catch rate would be? what is the average size of the crabs you are seeing? I have a friend that i talked to about this, he is a feed and fertilizer guy. He asked about viable volumes of product cause it is a waste of time to try and develop a product and market with out the supplies of raw materials. If and when he gets his ducks in a row can you supply me with 15 or 20 lbs of crabs for him to test and experiment with?

I’ll get back w you later today or tommorrow. I believe several thousand pounds/week would be sustainable. No one is geared to fish for them at this point either. That wouldn’t be too hard though. Then build up. I will send crabs next week! Thanks!  Joe