Stone crab season starts with mix of optimism, uncertainty
Dangers of COVID-19 put Florida’s $30 million industry in a tough spot
As the first hauls of stone crabs arrived on docks thisweek, early signs are that prices are likely to be level with last year and availability shouldn’t be a problem..
But with the dangers of COVID-19 still lingering, there’s a cloud of uncertainty over Florida’ s $30 million stone crab industry this season.
Many restaurants are still not operating at their pre-pandemic capacity and are putting their hopes on takeout options, something places like Billy’s Stone Crab in Hollywood aren’t used to.
“I’m not going to have a problem filling the restaurant at all,” said Brian Hershey, owner of Billy’s. “What I’m going to have a problem with is the books filling up and then people calling and I have to say, ‘I’m sorry, but we’re booked for this evening,’ because I can’t pack a restaurant with social distancing. That’s my biggest fear.”
Whether it’s national shipping or local walk-in sales, restaurant owners are hoping to-go demand for stone crabs fills the gap of what they’ll lose because of reduced capacity. “The fact of the matter is we’ve been open through the pandemic and our business through this has been decent,” said Danny Callaro, owner of Riggins Crabhouse in Lantana. “Butwe are doing much more business with the to-go orders.”
But South Floridians are particular about their stone crab, so will they take them in to-go boxes?
“Hopefully,” Callaro said.
Adding to the uncertainty, this year the state implemented four new rules including cutting the season short by twoweeks. The change, ordered by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is aimed at protecting the supply for future years.
“That’s to protect females with eggs,” said Mike Priebel, general manager of Keys Fisheries, the main supplier to the iconic Joe’s Stone Crab on Miami Beach. “The later in the summer you go the more and more egg-bearing females you see. They’re trying to protect those and not stress them out by having them harvested and released .”
But for now, fans eager to start digging meat out of the stone crab claws want to
knowif the catch this year will be plentiful enough to keep prices reasonable.
Billy’s Stone Crab has a fish house at Summerland Key at mile marker 25, where 40 boats supply fresh stone crab. The boats came in about 4 p.m. Thursday and they cooked stone crab claws until midnight Friday. The result: about 4,000 pounds of fresh stone crab ready for hungry Floridians.
Early-season prices for dinners at Billy’s are posted:
Medium: $35 (seven claws per pound). Select: $42 (six claws per pound) Large: $68 (four claws totaling
1- ¼ pounds). Jumbo:$105 (four claws totaling
1- ½ pounds).
Colossal: $140(four claws totaling two pounds).
The per-pound price for to-go claws from Billy’s seafood market are $25 for medium ,$30 for select, $35 for large, $49 for jumbo and $53 for colossal.
Those prices are inline with last season’s.
Overall, retailers and fishermen are optimistic this year.
“I think landings are going to be decent,” said Priebel of Keys Fisheries. “They kind of tailed off early last year. They closed the season about a month early last year just because of the whole C OVID situation.
“There was about a month of fishing that didn’t happen. I’m thinking we should see decent landings to start.”
Stone crab hauls have faced many challenges over the years: Hurricane Irma, red tide and blue green algae blooms took their toll. This year, COVID-19 is threatening to reduce demand for seafood and deal a major blow to the fishing industry.
“Honestly, I think our biggest detriment from last season and going into this season will simply be COVID,” said Kelly Kirk, owner of Kirk Fish Company on Marco Island, a sixth-generation stone crabber and one of three co-founders of the Florida Stone Crabbers Association. “And not from a product standpoint, just a retail-wholesale selling standpoint.”
Crabbers hope mail-order sales and walk-in sales at fish markets will make up for lost business at limited-capacity restaurants.
“It would be tragic if it’s a banner year for stone crab and there’s no demand,” Priebel said. “The fishermen are struggling as it is. They need to have a good year.”
Despite those concerns, at least one retailer is undaunted.
“It’s going to be a good year, I think,” said Bob Roth, owner of Bob Roth’s New River Groves in Davie, a fruit stand that also sells stone crab claws in season.
What does he base his optimism on? “I’ve just got a feeling,” he said with a laugh.