The reason fresh stone crab comes at such a premium is because of the short harvest season and how carefully regulated stone crabbing is by the state. Florida’s stone crab season is monitored closely to ensure that stone crabs aren’t over-harvested and that just the claw is removed without harming or killing the crab. The crabs have one claw removed, and then they are tossed back into the ocean. Even then, the claw must be a minimum of 2¾ inches long to be removed. This allows the crabs to continue living and reproducing while regrowing their claw.

The harvesting practices also make stone crabbing one of the most sustainable options.