There are several distinct species that can be described as
Australian sand crabs, with features in their appearance, size,
habitat, and commercial importance that make them
interesting.
Laurie Suarez features information about recreational fishing,
recipes, and fascinating details about these tasty sand crabs.
There are two main types of Portunidae Sand Crabs found in
Australian waters, they are the blue swimmer crab (Portunus
armatus) and the sand crab (Portunus pelagicus).
Unless you are a marine biologist, they are pretty much the
same looking crab but are more noticeably different from for
example the North American Blue Crab.
Recreational fishers in Australia use crab pots to catch sand
crabs, typically placed and retrieved from a fishing boat on
shallow coastal waters, especially in sandy rivers.
The most commonly used bait in Sand Crab pots or traps is fish
frames (the head and skeleton of a fish with the flesh removed).
All Australian fisheries have restrictions on recreational and
commercial fishing of sand crabs and blue swimmer crabs,
related mostly to minimum size and in some cases, restrictions
on gender and bag or pot (trap) limits per person fishing.
There are also vast areas known as green zones where no
fishing or collection of crabs or any other marine animal is
permitted.
Sand Crabs are a staple in Australian seafood shops and are relatively inexpensive.