Velvet crab

When is best to eat?

January✔

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Description

Velvet swimming crabs are Small but tasty, spiny crabs that are very popular in Spanish cooking.

Sustainability Overview

Velvet crabs are caught in relatively small quantities by pot fishermen, specifically targeting velvet and green crabs in the Fal estuary and are also caught as by catch in brown crab and lobster fisheries. Pot fishing is selective as small specimens can be returned un-harmed. Fishermen in the Fal only land male crabs and leave females in the sea to ensure the stocks are replenished. The vast majority of this catch is exported live to Spain.

In 2019 a total of 3.79 tonnes of velvet crabs were landed to Cornish ports with a value of £9888 (MMO data).

Sustainability ratings for this species

Potting

Cornish vessels landing to Cornish ports

Caught in baited traps deployed on the sea bed.

Learn more

How we rate fish

Cornwall Good Seafood Guide rates fish on sustainability using a scale of 1 to 5.

1, 2 and 3 are recommended, Fish to avoid are rated 5.

We use the system devised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) so our scores are comparable with the scores produced by MCS for the UK and fisheries from all around the world. For more information on scoring click here.

Biology

Also known as devil crabs, velvet swimming crabs are fast growing and females are able to produce thousands of eggs each year. North coast fishermen call them ‘Zippys’ due to their speedy nature. Velvet crabs are aggressive and are equipped with a pair of modified legs used as rear swimming paddles.

Velvet swimming crabs have a fast growth rate and produce a huge number of larvae each year therefore they have a low biological vulnerability score 20% (Source Sealifebase.org).

Stock Info

Stocks of velvet crab are unstudied but landings are relatively constant and there are currently no signs that the stocks are being over exploited. Landings are around 12 tonnes per year but 2012 and 2013 there has been a decrease in landings possibly due to market demand.

Management

Currently there is no restriction on catches of velvet crabs. There is a minimum landing size 6.5 minimum carapace width. You must have a commercial fishing licence to fish for velvet crabs. The market for this species is not well developed and currently the majority of landings are exported live on Vivier lorries to Spain. Velvet crabs are relatively fragile and need to be kept in floating store pots to ensure they are in good condition to sell to vivier lorries.