Rock Crab - What to know, when & where to get it
Rock Crab
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(year-round)
Rock crabs are harder to find in fish markets than Dungeness crabs, but they are plentiful and delicious in the Monterey Bay. With wide, thick shells, a brick-red color, and large claws full of meat, these crustaceans make fantastic table fare (but look out for their painful pinch - they don’t let go easily!).
Rock crabs are smaller and don’t have quite as much meat in their bodies as the more popular Dungeness crabs, but their large, bulbous claws are full of meat. A big rock crab can have almost as much meat as a lobster tail, just in the claws! They are brick red, with thick, calcified shells that are harder to crack (use a butter knife or crab-cracker). Rock crabs are caught using crab pots between 90-250 feet, with a minimum size of 4.25 inches in the commercial fishery.
Most rock crab landings are in southern California, as northern California fishermen tend to focus on the more profitable Dungeness crab season, but several Monterey Bay fishermen target these crabs as well, selling off the boat and to fish markets and community supported fisheries (CSFs).
Buying Tips
Ask for fresh, local rock crab from your fishmonger or Community Supported Fishery (CSF).
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Be adventurous and try buying live rock crab to steam at home.
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Be careful of their painful pinch!
Seafood Illustration courtesy of “Monterey Bay Aquarium®
Rock Crab Recipes
Sweet & Spicy Beer-Steamed Rock Crab
(The Spruce Eats)
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Classic Baja Rock Crab Cakes
(Real Good Fish)
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Rock Crab Claws with Dipping Sauces
(AquaStar)
More about Rock Crab
Rock Crab: life, habitat, and management
Rock crab (Cancer productus, Cancer antennarius and Romaleon antennarium) live along the Pacific Coast from Washington to Baja California. Their lifespan is 5-7 years, and they mate soon after molting when their shells are soft.
Rock crabs are scavengers and predators, feeding on small fish, hermit crabs, and other species. They prefer rocky habitats or structures like piers or pilings, and higher salinities. They are usually found in large bays or in the ocean between 90-500 feet.
Before 1991, fishermen typically harvested rock crabs only for their claws, and they would return the clawless crabs to the ocean floor, hoping for claw regeneration. Today, it is illegal to harvest only claws, and whole crabs are landed for live sales at fish markets, or cooked by processors for wholesale markets. Both sexes may be harvested, with average landings around 1.5 million pounds annually. The commercial fishery usually uses rectangular wire mesh traps, with openings for small crabs to escape, and devices to prevent lost traps from continuing to fish.
With less fishing pressure and a lower cost of entry for fishermen, rock crabs are an accessible year-round fishery and considered sustainable. During some parts of the year, domoic acid levels are higher, so pay attention to health advisories if crabbing yourself! Rock crabs are harvested at sustainable levels according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, which lists them as a “Good Alternative.”
Where & When to Find Rock Crab
Rock crab is accessible year-round but is not always easy to find.
You can buy rock crab directly from local restaurants, grocery stores, and fish markets —check out our Local Catch page for more information, or check out our recipes page for tips on how to store, prepare, and cook rock crab and other seafood.
Want a fun calendar to remind you of what is in season here in Monterey Bay? Download + print our seafood seasonality guide (downloadable pdf).