Florida's stone crab harvest season set to begin Oct. 17

Andrew Rogers

TALLAHASSEE, Florida , October 12, 2011 (Associated Press) – Get the claw-crackers ready: Stone crab season is set to open in Florida.

The recreational and commercial stone crab claw harvest season opens Saturday.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say stone crab claws must be at least 2 3/4 inches in length to be harvested legally. Harvesting claws egg-bearing female stone crabs is prohibited.

Recreational harvesters are allowed to use up to five stone crab traps. There's a daily limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less.

More information about stone crab harvesting regulations is available on the conservation commission's website, http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater.

The stone crab harvest season ends May 16.

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