It’s a tough holiday season right now for fishermen in the Bay area.

  • Florida experiencing disappointing stone crab season
  • Fishermen say traps are starting to dry up
  • The shortage has caused prices to increase

On top of recovering from Hurricane Irma, the number of stone crabs being caught is drastically down. For consumers, the shortage has caused prices to increase.

Donald Rhamberg usually has countless stone crabs to sell at his fish market Tampa Blue Crab and Seafood this time of the year, but not this time.

“Last year, October/November, we were in the neighborhood of a couple thousand pounds for distribution. This year, we’re lucky to have seen six hundred pounds,” Rhamberg said.

The case at the front of his store tells the story.

“Normally, you’d have stone crabs all the way across the case, about 300 pounds. This here is maybe 4 or 5 pounds of floaters,” Rhamberg explained.

Stone crab season started well in October, but crabbers say the traps then started to dry up.

The thought is Irma churned up water that may have sent the stone crabs offshore.

Fisherman Cory Palmer has stopped selling stone crabs and says fellow fishermen are now really struggling.

“It’s a huge part of their income. They work all year spending money getting traps ready. It’s a major hit,” Palmer said.

However, blue crabs are coming in very well right now. It’s a sign that as the weather changes, anglers hope the next few months may turn around for stone crabs.

“If you know a commercial fisherman, make sure to give them a Christmas present this year. They could use your support,” Rhamberg said.

Last year, medium stone crab claws were selling for about $15 a pound. This year, that price has nearly doubled.