Seaside shortage takes crab sandwiches off the menu

FOR some they’re the highlight of a trip to the seaside.

But you might find it harder than usual to get your claws on a crab sandwich – and if you do, you’ll almost certainly be spening more than usual.

A hard winter and demand from China mean resorts are running out of crab meat, while those that are selling the shellfish have had prices pushed up.

As well as the South West, shortages have been reported on the east coast, including Cromer in Norfolk. Alan Steer, of the South Devon and Channel Shellfishermen, said about 60 per cent of his catch goes to China and prices were about 20 per cent higher than this time last year.

He said: ‘There is higher demand for crab now and we have had a cold, hard winter that has meant crab has been in short supply recently because of the cold water temperature.’ Torbay-based Blue Sea Food Company’s exports to China are up 150 per cent in 18 months. James Arnold, of the Pea Green Boat restaurant in Sidmouth, Devon, said it has not had crab for three months.

Fisherman Kim Aplin said: ‘I don’t know what’s caused it. Crab sandwiches are a speciality everywhere now because nobody can get them.’